Orders for US Durable Goods Surge in June

The Numbers

In a surprising turn of events, orders for long-lasting goods produced in the United States experienced a significant increase of 4.7% in the month of June. This surge can be attributed to the influx of new contracts for Boeing passenger planes. Economists, who were polled by the Wall Street Journal, had only predicted a modest 1.5% increase.

Excluding transportation, the government reported a more subdued rise of 0.6% in orders. This exclusion is necessary as the transportation segment tends to magnify the highs and lows of the manufacturing industry due to its substantial size and volatility.

Furthermore, a key indicator of business investment demonstrated its third consecutive monthly growth, indicating a slight improvement in the manufacturing sector compared to earlier this year.

Durable goods, including items like planes, cars, appliances, and machinery designed to endure over an extended period, experience a rise in orders during times of economic expansion and a decline during periods of contraction.

The Bigger Picture

Although the industrial side of the economy is not experiencing significant improvements, it remains stable and has not worsened. The implementation of higher interest rates has discouraged costly investments, while consumers have redirected their spending towards services such as travel and recreation.

Until the economy displays signs of improvement or the threat of recession diminishes, manufacturers are expected to navigate through this period without major breakthroughs.

Market Reaction

Following these developments, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the S&P 500 (SPX) are projected to open higher in Thursday's trades.