New orders for manufactured durable goods in November increased $2.2 billion, or 0.9%, to $244.2 billion, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

This increase, up seven consecutive months, followed a 1.8% October increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.7%. Transportation equipment, up six of the last seven months, led the increase, $1.5 billion or 1.9% to $78.8 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in November, up six of the last seven months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.3% to $250.1 billion. This followed a 1.5% October increase. Primary metals, up seven consecutive months, led the increase, $0.3 billion or 1.8% to $19.2 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in November, down eight of the last nine months, decreased $0.8 billion or 0.1% to $1,072.9 billion. This followed a 0.2% October decrease. Transportation equipment, down nine consecutive months, drove the decrease, $3.5 billion or 0.5% to $713.3 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in November, up three consecutive months, increased $3.9 billion or 0.9% to $426.6 billion. This followed a 0.3% October increase. Transportation equipment, up twenty-six of the last twenty-seven months, led the increase, $2.4 billion or 1.6% to $150.7 billion.

Capital Goods

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in November increased $0.2 billion or 0.3% to $71.2 billion. Shipments decreased $1.6 billion or 2.2% to $71.8 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.6 billion or 0.1% to $591.2 billion. Inventories increased $2.3 billion or 1.2% to $196.1 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in November decreased $0.1 billion or 0.5% to $12.5 billion. Shipments increased $0.8 billion or 6.7% to $13.4 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.9 billion or 0.5% to $178.7 billion. Inventories decreased $0.4 billion or 1.7% to $21 billion.

Revised October Data

Revised seasonally adjusted October figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $482 billion (revised from $480.8 billion); shipments, $489.4 billion (revised from $488.6 billion); unfilled orders, $1,073.7 billion (revised from $1,073.3 billion) and total inventories, $687.9 billion (revised from $687.3 billion).