U.S. Economy
Recession – On or Off the Table?
Orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods unexpectedly rose in February as businesses rushed to avoid potential price increases from tariffs, likely boosting capital expenditure in the first quarter. However, the report from the Commerce Department on Wednesday did not change economists' expectations that economic growth was slowing considerably in the first quarter as businesses and households grapple with a fluid import duty environment. Orders for durable goods, items ranging from toasters to aircraft meant to last three years or more, increased 0.9% after advancing by an upwardly revised 3.3% in January, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecasted that durable goods orders would fall 1.0%.