aircraft

Demand for U.S. factory goods fell by 1.5% in March -- the biggest drop in three years -- driven by a sharp decline in orders for commercial aircraft. But airplane orders are a volatile statistic, and more recent data suggest the dip may be temporary. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that orders for factory goods fell 1.5%, the steepest decline since March 2009, when the economy was mired in recession. Orders rose 1.1% in February.

Orders for long-lasting factory goods fell by the largest amount in three years last month, mostly because demand for commercial aircraft plunged. But companies also ordered less machinery and other equipment, a sign manufacturing output may slow.

Nearly 90% of Americans still see owning a home as a key part of the American Dream, but 39% see us in a permanent economic downturn. Meanwhile, Obama has set his sights on closing tax loopholes for businesses and the rich, but the Fed just cut banks a break in new rules on debit card swipe fees.

The moods that dictate underlying prices can quickly swing from one extreme to the other. Such swings often create opportunities for investors. For instance, the rush back to domestic markets is leaving opportunity on the table overseas again.

After a Rolls-Royce engine on one of Quantas's A380 superjumbo jets exploded last week, Singapore Airlines says it also has pulled three of its A380s from service because of engine trouble. The news comes after Boeing also announced a major engine failure during tests back in August.

It's looking more and more like the explosion of a Roll-Royce engine on a Qantas-owned Airbus A380 last week wasn't an anomaly, but a sign of an as-yet unidentified design flaw. So how deep are the problems at Rolls-Royce, and which of its competitors are most likely to benefit from its troubles?

Rolls-Royce Group said CEO John Rose will step down at the end of March after more than 14 years in charge of the company. Rose turned Rolls-Royce into the world's second-biggest aircraft engine maker, Bloomberg News said. John Rishton, who is currently CEO at retailer Royal Ahold NV, will...

Aircraft maker Cessna will cut jobs after its parent company said new airplane orders were less than previously expected.

BAE Systems PLC, the world's second-largest defense company by revenue, will auction off divisions of its North American commercial aerospace business, a sale that could net up to $2 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Here's news from the business world and other money matters to watch out for Friday (last updated at 7:33 a.m. Eastern time): Gambling With Welfare Benefits: In the U.S., welfare payments are made electronically in the form of Electronic Benefits Transfer cards, which work similarly to debit...