The Advance Report on Durable Goods shows new orders for manufactured durable goods in December increased $6.2 billion or 3.0 percent to $214.5 billion. This increase, up five of the last six months, followed a 4.3 percent November increase.
Excluding transportation, new orders increased 2.1 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 3.5 percent.
Transportation equipment, up two consecutive months, had the largest increase, $3.0 billion or 5.5 percent to $58.4 billion. This was due to nondefense aircraft and parts, which increased $3.1 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up two of the last three months, increased $4.3 billion or 2.1 percent to $207.3 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent November decrease.
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up twenty of the last twenty one months, increased $13.1 billion or 1.5 percent to $912.3 billion. This followed a 1.4 percent November increase.
Transportation equipment, up eleven of the last twelve months, had the largest increase, $10.6 billion or 2.1 percent to $529.7 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, up twenty four consecutive months, increased $1.2 billion or 0.3 percent to $370.1 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis and followed a 0.6 percent November increase.
Transportation equipment, also up twenty four consecutive months, had the largest increase, $1.7 billion or 1.5 percent to $116.4 billion.