US durable goods.

A strong reading on durable goods orders may prove to be exactly what the greenback needed to strengthen against most majors during the U.S session.

U.S. durable goods orders rose unexpectedly in June, as autos posted their largest monthly gain in almost a year, the Commerce Department said on Friday.


Total new durables orders rose 0.8% in June after rising 0.1% in the prior month. Excluding transportation goods, new durable orders rose 2.0% after falling 0.5% in May.


Economists polled by Thomson Reuters IFR Markets had expected overall orders to fall 0.4% and orders excluding transportation to fall 0.2%.


Transportation equipment orders unexpectedly fell 2.6%.


The core capital goods index, considered a key barometer of business investment as it excludes defense and aircraft orders, rose 1.4% last month, the largest monthly gain since April.


Automobile orders rose 1.8% in June, the largest monthly gain since July of last year.


Orders for metals rose 5.1% last month, while machinery orders rose 2.3%.


June shipments rose 0.5%, while unfilled orders rose 0.9%.


Inventories rose 0.5% in June, the tenth consecutive monthly gain.