Following mixed manufacturing survey data, expectations were for a sizable jump in US Factory Orders in September.

The actual print was even better than expected, rising 1.9% MoM (+1.8% MoM exp). That was the third consecutive monthly gain and followed a 0.3% increase in August and lifted orders up over 10% YoY...

Core Factory Orders were even more dramatic, up 1.3% MoM (almost triple the 0.5% MoM expected).

That is the strongest annual growth in core factory orders since July 2022

Transportation equipment (+4.6%) was the biggest durable-goods boost, led by a +28.3% surge in non-defense aircraft and parts (the usual volatile swing).

This full report includes non-durable goods and confirms the earlier advance durable-goods reading (also +1.8%, led by transportation equipment) signaling that demand looks reasonably healthy across both durable and nondurable goods and fits the ongoing manufacturing expansion seen in the ISM data. 

The aircraft spike juiced the headline, but the underlying gain (ex-transportation) and the matching strength in nondurables suggest the improvement is more than just a one-off. This is consistent with firm capital-goods/equipment spending trends that should support growth.

 Overall, the data points to solid factory demand continuing into the fall.