New orders for manufactured durable goods in October increased $11.0 billion or 4.8 percent to $239.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up four consecutive months, followed a 0.4 percent September increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.0 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 5.2 percent. Transportation equipment, also up four consecutive months, led the increase, $9.5 billion or 12.0 percent to $88.2 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in October, up four consecutive months, increased $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $383.7 billion. This followed a virtually unchanged September increase.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in October increased $10.2 billion or 14.5 percent to $80.1 billion. Shipments decreased $0.4 billion or 0.6 percent to $71.5 billion. Unfilled orders increased $8.7 billion or 1.3 percent to $703.1 billion. Inventories decreased $0.6 billion or 0.4 percent to $169.6 billion.