NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Demand for long-lasting goods manufactured in the United States rose in September, and August's decline was smaller than initially reported, the government said Tuesday.

New orders for durable goods -- items such as cars, computers and appliances meant to last three years or more -- rose 0.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted $176.2 billion after falling a revised 0.1 percent in August, the Commerce Department reported.

Economists, on average, expected durable goods orders to rise 1.0 percent, according to Briefing.com.

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August's decline had initially been reported as a full percentage point, and the more benign revision helped push U.S. stock market futures higher, pointing to a positive opening on Wall Street. Treasury bond prices fell.

Excluding transportation goods, new orders for durable goods rose 1.2 percent to $125.1 billion, compared with a 0.7 percent gain in August.

Transportation orders fell 0.1 percent, led by a 3.9-percent drop in orders for non-defense aircraft. Orders for motor vehicles and parts surged 7.6 percent, following August's 7.1-percent drop.

Excluding defense goods, new orders rose 2.6 percent to $167.5 after falling 1.7 percent in August.

Orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, used by many economists as a proxy for business spending, rose 3.9 percent after falling 0.1 percent in August.

Orders for computers and electronic equipment rose 2.6 percent, following August's 2-percent gain.