Durable Goods Orders and Shipments Rise in December

Shipments have been up five of the last six months and increased 1.3 percent to $230.6 billion. Primary metals had the largest increase, up 4.2 percent to $30.7 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured goods increased 0.8 percent in December to $992 billion. Transportation equipment drove the increase in unfulfilled orders, up 1.6 percent to 588.8 billion.

Inventories fell for the first time in 14 months by $0.1 billion to $374.5 billion. Machinery led the increase with a drop of $0.4 billion to $66.1 billion.

Capital Goods in December for nondefense goods rose by 3.8 percent to $73.8 billion. Shipments increased 0.7 percent to $71.9 billion. Unfilled orders rose 0.3 percent to $585.7 billion. Inventories for nondefense capital goods decreased 0.3 percent to $173 billion.

Defense new orders for capital goods surged in December by 110.4 percent to $16.5 billion. Shipments rose 6.1 percent to $9.1 billion. Unfilled orders rose 4.6 percent to $171.5 billion. Inventories of defense capital goods fell 1.4 percent to $21.2 billion.

DOC reported revised seasonally adjusted figures for November for all manufacturing industries: new orders, $477.4 billion (revised from $477.6 billion); shipments, $484.3 billion (revised from $483.7 billion); unfilled orders, $983.9