Reversing course from April's 2% decline, new orders for manufactured goods increased seven-tenths of a percentage point in May to $399.9 billion, the U.S. Commerce Department reported on July 5.
Nevertheless, durable and nondurable goods went their separate ways.
New orders for manufactured durable goods, generally big-ticket items designed to last at least three years, fell two-tenths of a percent in May to $208.8 billion. New orders for nondurables increased 1.6% to $191.1 billion.
