US factory orders tumbled 3.3 percent in July
WASHINGTON (AP) — Orders at U.S. factories tumbled in July, dragged down by a sharp fall in orders for civilian aircraft.
The Commerce Department said Tuesday that factory orders declined 3.3 percent in July, after a 3.2 percent gain last month. July's decline was mostly because of a 19.2 percent drop in orders in the volatile transportation equipment category. Orders for civilian aircraft — which can vary wildly from month to month — tumbled 70.8 percent in July after a 129.3 percent gain last month.
Excluding the transportation sector that includes aircraft, factory orders rose 0.5 percent in July after a tiny 0.1 percent uptick last month.