Orders placed with American factories for durable goods such as cars and computers rose more than forecast in March, pointing to faster production that will help spur the economy. Bookings for goods meant to last at least three years increased 2.6 percent, the biggest gain since November, after rising 2.1 percent in the prior month, a Commerce Department report showed today in Washington. The median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 2 percent advance. Orders excluding transportation equipment, which is often volatile, rose by the most in more than a year. The biggest increase in computers and ... (full story)