Orders to U.S. factories decreased in March, restrained by a pullback in demand for aircraft that overshadowed gains elsewhere.
Bookings fell 1.5 percent after a revised 1.1 percent gain in February, figures from the Commerce Department showed today in Washington. The median projection of 61 economists in a Bloomberg News survey called for a 1.6 percent decline. Turbines and household appliances were among areas showing increases.
Also, a report today from Roseland, New Jersey-based ADP Employer Services showed companies added 119,000 workers to payrolls in April, fewer than the 170,000 median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg. ADP’s initial figures for March showed a gain of 209,000, while the Labor Department said companies added 121,000 workers.
