U.S. Business-Equipment Orders Advance by Most Since July

Orders placed with U.S. factories for business equipment rose by the most in eight months in March as a broader measure also saw surprising strength, signs corporate investment is regaining its footing despite trade war uncertainty.

A proxy for business investment -- non-military capital goods orders excluding aircraft -- rose 1.3 percent after the prior month was revised to a gain from a loss, according to Commerce Department figures Thursday that topped all estimates in Bloomberg’s survey. The broader measure of bookings for all durable goods, or items meant to last at least three years, rose 2.7 percent, the most in seven months and more than projected.