CRUSHED IT: DURABLE GOODS ORDERS UP 4.6%, MORE THAN DOUBLE ESTIMATES
Click here to refresh for LIVE updates >
The headline number rose 4.6 percent, exceeding expectations of a 2.0 percent rise.
Core capex (nondefense capital goods orders excluding aircraft) rose 0.2 percent versus expectations of a 0.4 percent decline.
Durable goods excluding transportation rose 1.3 percent versus expectations of a 0.8 percent gain.
However, nondefense capital goods shipments excluding aircraft rose 0.3 percent, missing expectations of a 0.8 percent gain.
Below is the text from the release:
New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in December increased $10.0 billion or 4.6 percent to $230.7 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up seven of the last eight months, followed a 0.7 percent November increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.3 percent.
Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.2 percent.
Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, had the largest increase, $8.1 billion or 11.9 percent to $75.9 billion.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up five of the last six months, increased $2.9 billion or 1.3 percent to $230.6 billion. This followed a 1.8 percent November increase.
Primary metals, up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $1.2 billion or 4.2 percent to $30.7 billion. This followed a 5.0 percent November increase.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up six of the last seven months, increased $8.2 billion or 0.8 percent to $992.0 billion. This increase followed a slight November increase.
Transportation equipment, also up six of the last seven months, drove the increase, $9.0 billion or 1.6 percent to $588.8 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, down following 14 consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.1 billion to $374.5 billion. This decrease followed a 0.1 percent November increase.
Machinery, down four consecutive months, drove the decrease, $0.4 billion or 0.6 percent to $66.1 billion.
Capital Goods
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in December increased $2.7 billion or 3.8 percent to $73.8 billion.
Shipments increased $0.5 billion or 0.7 percent to $71.9 billion. Unfilled orders increased $1.9 billion or 0.3 percent to $585.7 billion. Inventories decreased $0.6 billion or 0.3 percent to $173.0 billion.
Defense new orders for capital goods in December increased $8.7 billion or 110.4 percent to $16.5 billion.
Shipments increased $0.5 billion or 6.1 percent to $9.1 billion. Unfilled orders increased $7.5 billion or 4.6 percent to $171.5 billion. Inventories decreased $0.3 billion or 1.4 percent to $21.2 billion.
Revised November Data
Revised seasonally adjusted November figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $477.4 billion (revised from $477.6 billion); shipments, $484.3 billion (revised from $483.7 billion); unfilled orders, $983.9 billion (revised from $984.5 billion); and total inventories, $614.9 billion (revised from $615.2 billion).
Click here for the full release >
-----------------
ORIGINAL: Minutes away from the release of durable goods orders data for the month of December, due out in the U.S. at 8:30 AM ET.
Economists estimate that orders expanded 2.0 percent in December after a 0.8 percent rise in November.
The widely-tracked measure of nondefense capital goods orders excluding aircraft – commonly called "core capex" – is expected to post a 0.4 percent decline after expanding 2.6 percent in November.
We will have the full release LIVE at 8:30 AM ET. Click here to refresh for updates >