U.S. Sept. durable goods orders rise 1.0%

Orders for U.S.-made durable goods rose in September, rising 1.0% on stronger demand for machinery, defense and capital goods, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Excluding the 1.1% increase in transportation goods, orders rose 0.9%. The increase was in line with the forecast of economists surveyed by MarketWatch. It was the fourth increase in total orders in the past six months. Shipments rose 0.8% in September, but were down 0.8% excluding transportation goods. Inventories fell 1.0%, the ninth consecutive monthly decline.