Durable Goods Orders
February’s Durable Goods Orders report was posted at 8:30 AM ET this morning, revealing a 1.4% decline in new orders for big-ticket items such as electronics, refrigerators and airplanes that are expected to last at least three years. This was much weaker than expected, even when considering that this data is known to be volatile from month-to-month. As a sign of weakness in the manufacturing sector, this morning’s report is good news for bonds and mortgage rates. Unfortunately, geopolitical news is allowing traders to ignore the economic data.