Durable goods orders tumbled 4.2 percent, the largest decline since January 2009, the Commerce Department said on Wednesday after a downwardly revised 1.9 percent increase in February.
Economists had forecast orders for durable goods, which range from toasters to aircraft, falling 1.7 percent after a previously reported 2.4 percent rise in February.
I'm aware that I highlight the bad news more than the good news, but it's because I find that on balance in the rest of the discourse universe there's a tendency to do the reverse. I try to avoid making predictions, but I do think the "things are getting better" view is a bit too widespread, given that things have not gotten better nearly enough or nearly fast enough.