Surge in Class 8 truck orders a sign that US economy is picking up: analysts

Southfield, Michigan

ORDERS for semi trucks are rebounding after an almost two-year long slump, a positive sign for a US economy that's having growth crimped by sluggish passenger car sales.

Preliminary net orders for Class 8 trucks - which weigh in at more than 33,000 pounds - surged 81 per cent in July, the biggest monthly jump in almost three years, according to ACT Research. Demand has been perking up after a 20-month streak of shrinking orders ended in November.