Free Republic

New orders for U.S.-made capital goods fell more than expected in April, further evidence that manufacturing and the broader economy were slowing after a growth spurt in the first quarter.The slowdown was driven by exports and a buildup of inventories.Orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft dropped 0.9% last month as demand weakened almost across the board, the Commerce Department said.Overall orders for durable goods, items ranging from toasters to aircraft that are meant to last three years or more, tumbled 2.1% in April. .... The renewed trade tensions are expected to weigh on exports, which earlier this year...

<p>NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The buzz on Wall Street is that, thanks to generous corporate tax incentives, boatloads of cash are scudding toward technology firms in 2004. But here's a case where tech may not be the biggest winner.</p> <p>Back in May, in its effort to juice an economy that was still shedding jobs, Congress upped the first-year depreciation allowance businesses can write off on new capital investments to 50 percent from the 30 percent allowance enacted following Sept. 11. But this "bonus depreciation," as it is called, sunsets at the end of the year.</p>