US Core Capital Goods Orders Decrease by Most Since October

Orders placed with US factories for business equipment declined in April by the most since October, suggesting a diminishing appetite to invest amid uncertainty about tariffs and tax policy.

The value of core capital goods orders, a less-volatile proxy for investment in equipment that excludes aircraft and military hardware, decreased 1.3% last month after an upwardly revised 0.3% gain in March, Commerce Department figures showed Tuesday. Such shipments fell 0.1%, the first decline since October.