Durable goods orders jump 8.7%
Orders to U.S. factories for durable goods jumped by 8.7% in July, the largest increase in nine months, the Commerce Dept. reported today. The report follows the previous month's 4.5% drop in durable goods. The 8.7% increase in orders for durable goods, items expected to last at least three years, was the largest since a 9.2% spurt in October. Analysts had predicted a rise of only 1.4% to 2.7%. New