Shares of industrial and transportation companies rose amid optimism about global economic growth.
New orders for durable goods increased 0.5% to a seasonally adjusted $256.3 billion in March when compared with February, the Commerce Department said, indicating that factories gradually geared up after a February freeze.
The winter weather's disruption of the semiconductor supply chain continues to hamper auto production for Ford Motor and others, whose vehicles count computer chips as increasingly important components.
Shares of electronics and health-care equipment manufacturer Koninklijke Philips fell after it logged a smaller-than-anticipated increase in first-quarter net profit, hurt by a charge related to issues with sleep-support and respiratory-care equipment.
Freight concern Kühne + Nagel International said it shipped 50 million Covid-19 vaccines during the first quarter and expects that to rise up to seven-fold in the current quarter.
Germany's Ifo business-climate index rose slightly to 96.8 points in April compared with 96.6 points in March, but lagged economists' forecasts.
A U.K. judge ordered the acquittal of two former executives of Serco Group after it was revealed at trial that prosecutors had failed to disclose certain materials to the defense.
Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
04-26-21 1659ET
