Orders for Durable Goods Fell 0.4% in December

Washington, DC, January 27, 2017—New orders for manufactured durable goods in December decreased $1.0 billion or 0.4% to $227.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau has announced.

This decrease, down two consecutive months, followed a 4.8% November decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.5%.

Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.7%.

Transportation equipment, also down two consecutive months, drove the decrease, $1.7 billion or 2.2% to $73.7 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up three of the last four months, increased $3.3 billion or 1.4% to $238.0 billion. This followed a 0.3% November increase.

Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $2.0 billion or 2.5% to $82.3 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, down six of the last seven months, decreased $7.2 billion or 0.6% to $1,119.4 billion. This followed a 0.3% November decrease.

Transportation equipment, also down six of the last seven months, drove the decrease, $8.6 billion or 1.1% to $759.8 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, up five of the last six months, increased less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $384.4 billion. This followed a 0.2% November increase.

Machinery, up four of the last five months, drove the increase, $0.4 billion or 0.5% to $66.4 billion.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in December increased $2.4 billion or 3.8% to $66.6 billion. Shipments increased $1.2 billion or 1.8% to $71.7 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $5.1 billion or 0.7% to $691.8 billion. Inventories increased $0.6 billion or 0.3% to $171.1 billion.

Defense new orders for capital goods in December decreased $4.8 billion or 33.4% to $9.5 billion. Shipments decreased $0.1 billion or 1.2% to $10.9 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.3 billion or 0.9% to $140.9 billion. Inventories decreased $0.2 billion or 0.7% to $20.7 billion.