New orders for manufactured durable goods in February increased $5.0 billion or 2.2 percent to $229.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, followed a 1.3 percent January decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.2 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.8 percent.
Transportation equipment, also up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $4.6 billion or 6.9 percent to $71.4 billion. This was led by nondefense aircraft and parts, which increased $1.8 billion.
The revised seasonally adjusted January figure for new orders was $482.0 billion (revised from $483.0 billion).