WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Orders for U.S.-made durable goods jumped in April, rising 1.9 on stronger demand for vehicles, steel and communications equipment, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. Excluding the 5.4% increase in transportation goods, orders rose 0.8%. The increase far exceeded the expected 0.6% rise forecast by economists surveyed by MarketWatch. The gain was tempered somewhat by a large revision to March. Orders in March fell a revised 2.1%, more than double the prior estimate of a 0.8% decline.
