New orders for long-lasting US manufactured goods fell in February as the sector continues to struggle with the lingering effects of a robust dollar and lower oil prices.

While other data on Thursday showed an increase in the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week, revisions to the prior weeks’ figures showed the labour market was much stronger than previously thought.

The labour market resilience underscores the economy’s strength, which has helped calm concerns of a looming recession. That could keep the Federal Reserve on course to gradually raise interest rates this year.

The Commerce Department said orders for durable goods, items ranging from toasters to aircraft meant to last three years or more, declined 2.8 per cent last month after a downwardly revised 4.2 per cent increase in January.

Non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, decreased 1.8 per cent after advancing by a downwardly revised 3.1 per cent in January. These so-called core capital goods orders were previously reported to have increased 3.4 per cent in January.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast durable goods orders falling 2.9 per cent last month and orders for core capital goods slipping 0.1 per cent.

The dollar dipped against a basket of currencies after the data. U.S. stock futures were down, while prices for Treasuries were mixed.

In a separate report, the Labor Department said initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 265,000 for the week ended March 19th.

The government also revised data going back to 2011, which showed claims trending lower than previously reported. Claims for the week ended March 5th were the lowest since November 1973.

Last month’s drop in durable goods orders bucks recent data that have suggested the downward spiral in manufacturing was close to an end. Several reports in recent days have shown a pick-up in regional factory activity in March, leading to optimism that a broader manufacturing survey will show the sector expanded this month for the first time since September.

Manufacturing, which accounts for 12 percent of the US economy, has been hammered by the strong dollar, weak global demand and capital spending cuts by oilfield service firms like Schlumberger and Halliburton.

Efforts by businesses to sell unwanted inventory have also meant fewer orders placed, adding to pressure on factories. But the dollar’s gains versus the currencies of the United States’ main trading partners have slowed since the start of the year and the oil price slide has become less pronounced.

The drop in durable goods orders last month was led by a 27.1 per cent plunge in civilian aircraft orders, which contributed to a 6.2 per cent drop in bookings for transportation equipment.

Orders for primary metals, fabricated metal products, machinery, computers and electronic products as well as electrical equipment, appliances and components also fell. Orders for motor vehicles and parts rose 1.2 per cent.

Shipments of core capital goods - used to calculate equipment spending in the gross domestic product report - fell 1.1 per cent last month after sliding 1.3 per cent in January.

The drop in shipments in February could prompt economists to trim first-quarter GDP growth estimates, which are currently around a 2 per cent annualised rate. The economy grew at a 1.0 percent rate in the fourth quarter.

Unfilled durable goods orders fell 0.4 per cent last month after being unchanged in January. Durable goods inventories fell 0.3 per cent and are now down in seven of the last eight months.

Reuters