Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods shot up 1.9 percent in April, the government reported Wednesday, reflecting strong demand for autos, appliances and aircraft.
The Commerce Department said it was the best showing in five months. Demand for durable goods rose by $3.7 billion to a total of $200.3 billion last month, after adjusting for normal seasonal variations. The increase, which followed three straight monthly declines, was better than the 1.3 percent gain that analysts had been expecting.
