Durable Goods Orders in U.S. Decrease for Second Month
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A slowdown in global growth, resulting in plunging commodity prices, is prompting U.S. companies to say the glass is half empty. American consumers see it as half full.
Orders to American factories for long-lasting equipment unexpectedly dropped 1.3 percent in September, indicating businesses worldwide are reluctant to spend on expanding output, Commerce Department data showed today in Washington. Consumer confidence this month jumped to a seven-year high, according to figures from the Conference Board.