U.S. business investment fell again at end of 2018

Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows a measure of business investment fell for the fourth time in five months at the end of last year. The Wall Street Journal reports. The decline is a signal that “firms are feeling less confident in light of domestic and global economic uncertainty.”

While orders for durable goods and manufactured products that are intended to last for at least three years increased by 1.2% in December from November, most of that was for commercial aircraft and vehicles and their respective parts, according to the article. Without transportation, the orders grew by 0.1%. New orders for nondefense capital goods (not including aircraft) fell by 0.7%.