Durable goods see biggest gain in 16 months
Manufactured goods orders surge 1.9% in April, but March's drop is revised down to 2.1%.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods rose more than expected in April, posting their biggest gain in 16 months, according to government data on Thursday that suggested the recession was winding down.
April's 1.9% increase was the biggest percentage advance since December 2007, when orders rose 4.1%, the Commerce Department said.
However, March orders were revised sharply lower, falling 2.1% from the previously reported 0.8% decline.
Analysts polled by Reuters had expected overall new orders to rise 0.4% in April, and orders excluding transportation to ease 0.3%.
New orders excluding transportation climbed 0.8% in April after declining 2.7% in March, boosted by orders for communications equipment, machinery and fabricated metal products.
However, there were some dark spots in the report. Civilian aircraft and parts tumbled 6.8% after surging 7.5% in March.
Non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending, fell 1.5% in April. The prior month was revised to show a 1.4% decline, previously reported as a 0.4% gain. 
