U.S. demand for durable goods items unexpectedly fell 1.7 percent in September, the U.S. Commerce Department said Thursday.

The report said orders totaled a seasonally adjusted $214.53 billion, with demand pulled lower by fewer orders for military suppliers.

Defense-related capital goods orders plunged 38.7 percent. Excepting defense goods, overall new orders increased by 0.7 percent, The Wall Street Journal said,

Meanwhile, the number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell slightly last week but remained at elevated levels consistent with slackening labor markets.

Jobless claims fell 8,000 to 331,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis in the week ended Oct. 20, the Labor Department said Thursday.  // Copyright 2007 by United Press International





Publication date: 26 October 2007   

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