U.S. Feb durable goods orders down 0.2 pct vs revised 7.3 fall in Jan

WASHINGTON (AFX) - Orders for durable goods fell 0.2 pct in February, the Commerce Department said.	    The second consecutive monthly fall in durable goods orders was slightly larger than expected. The consensus forecast of Wall Street economists was for orders to fall 0.1 pct in February.	    Orders fell a revised 7.3 pct in January, compared with the previous estimate of a 6.0 pct decline.	    Excluding the transportation sector, durable goods orders rose 0.5 pct in February after a 1.6 pct fall in the previous month.	    This is the first gain in durable orders, excluding transportation, since November.	    Excluding the defense sector, durable goods orders fell 1.0 pct after a 7.2 pct decline in the previous month.	    On a year-on-year basis, February orders were down 7.3 pct.	    Orders for durable goods totalled a seasonally adjusted 199.2 bln usd in February, compared with 199.6 bln in January, the Commerce Department said.	    The decline in February's orders marks the lowest level in orders since June 1999.	    The overall fall in orders was accounted for by declines in transportation equipment, primary metals, and non-defense capital goods orders, but gains in defense capital goods and electronic and electrical equipment orders helped offset the declines.	    Orders for transportation equipment fell 2.6 pct in February compared with a 23.7 fall in the previous month.	    Primary metal orders fell 1.1 pct after falling 0.6 pct in January.	    February orders for non-defence capital goods, often a key indication of business plans to expand and modernize, fell 6.4 pct after falling 11.6 pct in January.	    Excluding aircraft, these orders were down 4.0 pct compared with a 3.9 pct increase the previous month.	    Defense capital goods orders rose 28.8 pct following an 11.3 pct drop in January.	    New orders for electronic and electrical equipment rose 6.0 pct, compared with a 8.3 pct drop in January.	    Shipments of durable goods fell 0.3 pct, compared with a 2.5 pct fall in January.	    Unfilled orders fell 0.3 pct in February, following a 0.3 pct fall in January. 

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