US orders fall for second month

US orders for durable goods in May unexpectedly fell 1.6%, a second consecutive fall.

Fewer bookings for cars, computers and machinery lead the trend, a report showed.

Orders for items made to last at least three years decreased to $189 billion (€155 billion) after falling 2.6% in April, the Commerce Department said in Washington.

A gauge of business purchases of new equipment fell in May, suggesting corporate spending may have lost momentum this quarter. The US Labour Department reported separately that initial jobless claims rose more than forecast last week.