New orders for manufactured durable goods in February increased $12.4 billion or 5.7 percent to $232.1 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This increase, up five of the last six months, followed a 3.8 percent January decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.5 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 4.5 percent.

Transportation equipment, up two of the last three months, drove the increase, $13.3 billion or 21.7 percent to $74.4 billion. This was led by nondefense aircraft and parts, which increased $9.0 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in February, up five of the last six months, increased $2.2 billion or 1.0 percent to $229.3 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent January decrease.

Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $1.0 billion or 1.6 percent to $66.0 billion. This followed a 1.9 percent January decrease.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in February, up five of the last six months, increased $9.4 billion or 0.9 percent to $999.8 billion. This increase followed a 0.1 percent January decrease.

Transportation equipment, also up five of the last six months, led the increase, $8.4 billion or 1.4 percent to $592.3 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in February, up sixteen of the last seventeen months, increased $1.6 billion or 0.4 percent to $376.9 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.3 percent January increase.

Transportation equipment, up thirty-one consecutive months, drove the increase, $1.8 billion or 1.6 percent to $118.0 billion.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in February increased $7.4 billion or 10.0 percent to $80.8 billion. This was the largest increase in five months. Shipments increased $0.1 billion or 0.2 percent to $70.8 billion.

Unfilled orders increased $10.0 billion or 1.7 percent to $596.9 billion. Inventories increased $1.1 billion or 0.6 percent to $175.5 billion.

Defense new orders for capital goods in February increased $3.3 billion or 68.0 percent to $8.1 billion. Shipments increased $0.4 billion or 4.8 percent to $8.4 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent to $167.8 billion. Inventories increased $0.6 billion or 2.8 percent to $22.2 billion.

Read the full February 2013 Advance Report on Durable Goods.