New orders for manufactured durable goods decreased 0.4% in December to $227.0 billion, following a 4.8% November decrease, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
New orders excluding defense rose 1.7% on the month, as orders of nondefense capital goods increased 3.8% to $66.6 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods, up three of the last four months, rose 1.4% to $238.0 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods were virtually unchanged at $384.4 billion, following 0.2% November increase.
Read the Census release.