New orders for key U.S.-made capital goods unexpectedly fell in March, weighed down by the biggest drop in demand for machinery in nearly two years, and a decline in shipments suggested business spending on equipment slowed in the first quarter.

But other data on Thursday showed the economy remains on a strong footing. The number of Americans filing unemployment benefits dropped to the lowest level in more than 48 years last week and the goods trade deficit tumbled in March on strong export growth.

The Commerce Department said orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, slipped 0.1 percent last month. Data for February was revised to show these so-called core capital goods increasing 0.9 percent instead of the previously reported 1.4 percent jump.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast core capital goods orders rising 0.5 percent last month. Core capital goods orders increased 6.5 percent on a year-on-year basis.

Last month, orders for machinery fell 1.7 percent, the biggest drop since April 2016, after gaining 0.3 percent in February. There were, however, increases in orders of primary metals, computers and electronic products, fabricated metals and electrical equipment, appliances, and components.

Overall orders for durable goods, items ranging from toasters to aircraft that are meant to last three years or more, increased 2.6 percent in March as demand for transportation equipment rose 7.6 percent. That followed a 3.5 percent surge in durable goods orders in February.