Consumers opened up their wallets again last month for more big-ticket items such as cars, appliances and office equipment last month, the Commerce Department reported today.
Orders for manufactured durable goods increased 1% to $165.7 billion last month, the second increase in the past three months.
Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.9% and excluding defense, new orders increased 0.5%.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in September increased for the third time in four months. They rose 0.8% or $1.3 billion. Those shipments had declined in August by 1.4%.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods-which have been down for nine consecutive months-fell 1% to $305 billion. Consumers bought fewer big-ticket items such as cars, appliances and office equipment last month, the Commerce Department reported today.
