US durable goods orders post slower rise in March

WASHINGTON, D.C.: US aircraft sales forged higher in March, helping drive up orders for manufactured goods, but the pace of growth slowed from previous months, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Total orders for durable goods recorded their third consecutive monthly increase, but excluding the volatile transportation sector, where aircraft sales can cause big monthly swings, orders fell for the first time in six months, slipping 0.2 percent.