Seasonally adjusted durable goods orders fell 0.3% in March to $212.2 billion according to the Commerce Department. February data was revised to a decline of 0.9% from an initial estimate of 1.1% drop. This was the third consecutive monthly decrease and followed a 0.9% February decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.5%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.3%.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up thirty-four of the last thirty-five months, increased $7.3 billion or 0.9% to record high of $830.1 billion since 1992.

Asian markets review

In Tokyo Nikkei 225 Index closed lower 38.29 or 0.28% to 13,540.87, in Hong Kong Hang Seng index increased 391.54 or 1.55% closed to 25,680.78. In Australia ASX 200 index lower 65.60 or 1.16% to close 5,587.30. In Malaysia KL Composite index increased 4.92 or 0.38% closed to 1,293.08.

In South Korea Kospi Index decreased 1.45 or 0.08% to close at 1,799.34, in Thailand SET index closed lower 3.35 or 0.40% to 834.31 and Indonesia JSE Index edged decreased 44.32 or 1.92% to 2,269.98. Sensex index in India increased 23.04 or 0.14% to 16,721.08.