26.06.2025 15:50

May's US durable goods orders surged unexpectedly, exceeding analysts' forecasts by a significant margin. The robust 16.4% increase, amounting to a $48.3 billion jump to a total of $343.6 billion, significantly outperformed the anticipated 8.5% rise. This positive economic indicator follows a downward revision of April's figures, which initially showed a 6.3% decline, now corrected to 6.6%. The unexpected strength in this key economic metric provided a boost to the market.

A deeper analysis of the data reveals a substantial contribution from the transportation sector. Transportation equipment orders alone leaped by a staggering 48.3%, adding $47.4 billion to the total. This sector's performance, positive in five of the past six months, clearly drove the overall increase in durable goods orders. Even when excluding the transportation sector, a more modest 0.5% increase was observed. Similarly, excluding defense spending, the rise still remained impressive at 15.5%.

The market reacted to this positive news, though the impact was muted. The US Dollar Index, initially dipping, experienced a slight recovery after the report's release. However, it remained in negative territory, closing the day down 0.35% at 97.35. The relatively subdued response suggests that while the durable goods data was robust, other market factors might be exerting a stronger influence on the dollar's value at the time of the report. This highlights the complexity of interpreting economic indicators within the broader global economic landscape.