A Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft at the company's factory in Everett, Wash. Orders for aircraft drove the increase in demand for durable goods last month.

The number of first-time claims remains stuck in a range between 350,000 and 400,000, though. Meanwhile, a surge in aircraft orders boosted demand for products designed to last three or more years.

The number of first-time claims for unemployment insurance fell by 23,000 last week from the week before, to 369,000, the Employment and Training Administration says.

Claims have bounced around in recent weeks, in part because of some changes in the way at least one state reports its figures.

But overall, as we've said before, claims remain in the range where they've been stuck for a year, between 350,000 and 400,000.

Also this morning, the Census Bureau reports that orders for so-called durable goods designed to last three or more years rose 9.9 percent in September from August — the biggest monthly increase in nearly three years, according to The Associated Press and a bounce back from the 13.1 percent drop in August. Much of the September rebound was due to an increase in aircraft orders.

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