According to the U.S. Census Bureau, factory orders in April fell by 3.7%, exceeding the median forecast of a 3.2% decline. The range of estimates from 39 economists was between a 6.3% drop and a 2% decrease.
Excluding transportation, new orders decreased by 0.5%, consistent with the previous month's decline. Orders for non-defense equipment, excluding aircraft, dropped by 1.5% after a 0.3% increase in March. Meanwhile, durable goods orders saw a significant decline of 6.3%, following a 7.6% increase in the prior month.
