The survey of new orders for long-lasting goods contains one of the most closely watched U.S. economic indicators. WSJ explains durable goods, and why investors look beyond the headline number for ...

Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal had forecast a 0.5% drop in orders for durable goods. This is the first time that durable goods have risen for three straight months since spring 2023.

The unexpected decrease by durable goods orders came as orders for transportation equipment dove by 7.4 percent in December after plunging by 5.4 percent in November. Orders for non-defense ...