Orders for durable goods jumped 3.7% in September, led by a 57.5% increase in aircraft bookings, the Commerce Department said Friday. Boeing BA -0.30% signed contracts for 127 jetliners last month compared to just 16 in August, reflecting a typically uneven pattern of orders in the airline industry.

Stripping out the volatile transportation sector, new orders dipped 0.1% in September to mark the third straight decline, perhaps a sign that manufacturers grew cautious in anticipation of the government shutdown. Demand declined for heavy machinery declined 1.8%.