New orders for manufactured durable goods in April decreased $4.2 billion or 1.7 percent to $248.5 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down following two consecutive monthly increases, followed a 2.7 percent March increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.9 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 1.9 percent. Transportation equipment, also down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $5.6 billion or 6.1 percent to $87.1 billion. Shipments of manufactured durable goods in April, down following eight consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.1 billion or 0.1 percent to $246.7 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent March increase. Transportation equipment, down following three consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $1.8 billion or 2.1 percent to $82.8 billion.