Washington, DC, December 22, 2006--Orders for durable goods increased in November even as demand for business equipment waned for a second month.
The 1.9 percent gain, which reflected more orders for commercial aircraft and military equipment, followed an 8.2 percent decrease in October, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. Excluding transportation equipment orders dropped 1.1 percent after a 1.6 percent decline.
Economists had expected a 1.3 percent gain, after a previously reported 8.3 percent decline for October. Estimates ranged from a drop of 1.5 percent to an increase of 3.5 percent.
Excluding transportation equipment, orders were forecast to rise 1 percent after a previously reported drop of 1.7 percent.
Orders for machinery declined 8.9 percent after rising 4 percent the prior month. Computers and electronics orders rose 7.5 percent last month, not enough to make up for a 10.1 percent decrease the prior month.
Orders for commercial aircraft increased 7.2 percent after slumping 44.4 percent in October.
Inventories of durable goods rose 0.3 percent in November after a 0.7 percent increase. Unfilled orders, a sign of pent-up demand, rose 1.7 percent last month.
