<p>U.S. durable goods orders rose 3.4 percent in March, almost five times the median forecast, signaling that corporate spending is helping drive the economy this year.</p>
<p>The increase in orders for items made to last at least three years exceeded all estimates in a Bloomberg News survey of 67 economists and followed a 3.8 percent rise in February, the Commerce Department said in Washington. Treasury securities fell after the report boosted speculation the Federal Reserve will begin raising interest rates sooner than many investors expected.</p>