WASHINGTON - A rebound in demand for commercial aircraft lifted April orders for big-ticket goods, further evidence that manufacturers are helping to drive the economic recovery.
Requests for durable goods increased 2.9 percent last month, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. It was the best showing in three months and more than double expectations.
There are concerns that a debt crisis in Europe could derail the global recovery. Financial markets have been roiled in recent weeks by fears that the problems facing Greece could spread to other heavily indebted European countries, such as Spain and Portugal.
But economists say the U.S. manufacturing industry may be strong enough to weather Europe's troubles.
" April's durable goods orders figures demonstrate that, despite the fiscal meltdown in Europe, the recovery in the American manufacturing sector is still gathering momentum," said Paul Ashworth, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics.
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