-- New orders for US factory goods were roughly flat in February, compared with expectations for a 0.2% decrease in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET following a flat reading in the previous month.
Excluding a 5.3% drop in transportation orders, new orders would have been up 1.2% after a 0.5% gain in January, well above the expectations for a 0.4% gain.
Durable goods new orders were revised up to a 1.3% decline from the advance estimate of a 1.4% decline and follows a 0.4% decrease in January.
Nondurable goods new orders increased by 1.5% after a 0.5% increase in the previous month.
Factory unfilled orders were up 0.1%, as were factory inventories.
Factory shipments rose by 1.4% and when combined with already-published advance estimates for retail and wholesale sales, shows business sales on pace for a 1.7% gain in the month.