Orders for U.S. business equipment stalled in September, capping a quarterly slump that signals investment will cool in the second half of the year. Bookings for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, considered a proxy for future business spending on items such as computers, engines and communications gear, were little changed after rising 0.2 percent in August, less than previously estimated, a Commerce Department report showed today in Washington. Demand for all durable goods climbed 9.9 percent last month, exceeding the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg and reflecting a rebound in ... (full story)