New orders for manufactured durable goods in January increased $8.5 billion or 3.4% to o $256.6 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This increase, up nine consecutive months, followed a 1.2% December increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.4%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.3%.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in January, up eight of the last nine months, increased $5.1 billion or 2.0% to $260.6 billion. This followed a 2.1% December increase. Machinery, also up eight of the last nine months, led the increase, $1.1 billion or 3.6%to $33.2 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in January, down two consecutive months, decreased $1.4 billion or 0.3% to $424.3 billion.
Read the Census release.