US September Durable Goods Orders Rose 1.8%, Topping Forecasts on Aircraft Surge

United States durable goods orders rose 1.8% month-over-month in September to reach $345.4 billion, exceeding market expectations that ranged from 1.4% to 1.7%. The headline increase followed August's print, which was reported between flat and an upwardly revised 0.1% gain. The growth was heavily driven by a 4.6% increase in transportation equipment orders, including a 28.4% jump in nondefense aircraft bookings. Excluding transportation, orders rose 0.5%, slightly trailing forecasts of 0.6%. Meanwhile, core capital goods orders excluding aircraft slowed to a 0.5% gain, missing estimates.