The Big Picture

The Travel Industry Assn. of America's Traveler Sentiment Index rose 9 percent in the first quarter of 2004 to 102.2. The jump was attributed to travelers feeling that travel is more affordable than it was a year ago.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased $6.3 billion or 3.4 percent to $192.7 billion. That compares with a 3.8-percent February increase.

Sales of new single-family houses in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.2 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development. That is 8.9 percent above the revised February rate.