Manufacturing sales rose 3.4% to a record high $55.5 billion in November, mainly due to higher sales in the transportation equipment, petroleum and coal product and chemical industries.

Higher petroleum prices contributed to the overall increase in manufacturing sales. Once the effects of these and other price changes are removed, manufacturing sales volumes rose 2.5% in November.

Sales of transportation equipment increased 9.1% to $10.6 billion in November, following two consecutive monthly decreases. Most of the increase in November was attributable to higher sales in the motor vehicle assembly (+14.2%) and motor vehicle parts (+11.3%) industries, reflecting increased production after motor vehicle assembly plant shutdowns in October. In constant dollars, sales volumes rose 14.7% in the motor vehicle assembly industry and 10.9% in the motor vehicle parts industry in November.