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Durable Goods Orders
In economics, a durable good or a hard good is a good which does not quickly wear out, or more specifically, it yields services or utility over time rather than being completely used up when used once.
Most goods are therefore durable goods to a certain degree. These are goods that can last for a relatively long time, such as refrigerators, cars, and DVD players. Perfectly durable goods never wear out.
An example of a durable good might be a brick. As a counterexample, sticky tape is not very durable.
By definition, durable goods are those that last well over three years.
Examples of consumer durable goods include cars, appliances, business equipment, electronic equipment, home furnishings and fixtures, houseware and accessories, photographic equipment, recreational goods, sporting goods, toys and games.
Durable goods are typically characterized by long interpurchase times - the time between two successive purchases.
Typically, during tough economic times, both individual customers and big companies postpone the purchase of durable goods.
Therefore, the number of durable goods ordered - Durable Goods Orders - is a good measure of how the economy is doing and also how hopeful consumers are about its future.