US Capital Goods Orders Barely Rise Amid Caution Over Tariffs

Orders placed with US factories for business equipment barely rose in March, suggesting firms are growing cautious amid uncertainty surrounding tariffs and tax policy.

The value of core capital goods orders, a proxy for investment in equipment excluding aircraft and military hardware, increased 0.1% last month after a revised 0.3% decline in February, Commerce Department figures showed Thursday. Shipments of core capital goods rose at a slower pace.

Bookings for all durable goods — items meant to last at least three years — surged 9.2%, the most since July on a 139% jump in orders for commercial aircraft.

The ...