New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased $6.8 billion or 2.7 percent, to $258.5 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This increase, up four of the last five months, followed a 1.1 percent February decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.3 percent. Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five months, led the increase, $6.1 billion or 7.0 percent, to $93.8 billion.

The revised seasonally adjusted February figure for all manufacturing industries for new orders was $498.7 billion, revised from $497.5 billion.