New orders for capital goods by U.S. businesses rebounded in August, pointing to underlying strength in the economy.

The economic outlook also got a lift from other data on Thursday showing only a marginal increase in the number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits last week.

"This is supportive of the U.S. economy continuing to expand at a healthy pace in the second half of the year," said Sam Bullard, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Commerce Department said non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, rose 0.6 percent. Orders for the so-called core capital goods orders fell by a revised 0.2 percent in July.

Last month's increase was in line with expectations. Core capital goods orders were previously reported to have declined 0.7 percent in July.

While orders for long-lasting manufactured goods, items ranging from toasters to aircraft that are meant to last three years or more, fell a record 18.2 percent, that was payback for an aircraft-driven jump in July.

Durable goods orders increased 22.5 percent in July, the largest gain since the government started tracking the series in 1992, as civilian aircraft orders soared 315.6 percent. Orders for the volatile transportation category declined 42.0 percent last month as aircraft orders tumbled 74.3 percent.

Boeing (BA.N) reported on its website that it had received 107 orders last month, a third of July's outsized gains. Automobile orders fell 6.4 percent following a 10.0 percent increase the prior month.

The underlying trend in new orders, however, is up and further gains are likely in the months ahead.

A manufacturing survey early this month showed a measure of new orders jumped to a near 10-1/2-year high in August and businesses showed an increased appetite for capital spending.

JOBS MARKET FIRMING

In a separate report, the Labor Department said initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 293,000 for the week ended Sept. 20.

That was below economists' forecasts for a rise to 300,000 and left the four-week average of claims down 1,250 at 298,500. Claims are near their pre-recession levels, a sign that the labor market is firming despite August's cooling in job growth.

"The claims data continue to suggest that the slowing in payroll growth in August was an aberration that will likely either be revised higher or we will likely see some catch-up in the months ahead," said John Ryding, chief economist at RDQ Economics in New York.

While a third report from information services firm Markit showed a slight ebbing in activity in the services industry this month, employment growth accelerated and the rate of backlog accumulation was the fastest since October 2009.

U.S. financial markets were mixed, with prices for U.S. government debt rising. U.S. shares were trading weaker, while the dollar was up against a basket of currencies.

The U.S. economy is bucking a slowing global economy, supported by firming consumer spending and increased business willingness to invest in equipment and capital projects.

Last month, shipments of core capital goods edged up 0.1 percent. The increase in July's shipments was, however, revised up to 1.9 percent from 1.5 percent. Shipments of these goods are used to calculate equipment spending in the government's gross domestic product measurement.

"The third quarter is setting up to be one of the strongest for capital spending in a year or so," said Chris Low, chief economist at FTN Financial in New York.

As a result, forecasting firm Macroeconomic Advisers raised its third-quarter growth estimate by two-tenths of a percentage point to a 3.6 percent annual pace. BNP Paribas saw a 0.2 percentage point upside risk to its 3.0 percent rate forecast.

Unfilled orders for core capital goods increased 1.2 percent last month after rising 1.0 percent in July, a building up of backlogs that will keep the nation's factories busy for a while.

"The solid pace of manufacturing activity in recent months is not going away any time soon," said Anthony Karydakischief economic strategist at Miller Tabak in New York.