The U.S. Commerce Department reported on Wednesday that the value of new factory orders increased 0.1 percent m-o-m in December, following a revised 0.5 percent m-o-m drop in November (originally a 0.6percent m-o-m decline).

Economists had forecast a 0.9 percent m-o-m advance.

According to the report, orders for transportation equipment led the gain (+3.2 percent m-o-m in December compared to +3.1 percent m-o-m in November), followed by furniture and related products (+3.4 percent m-o-m versus -1.7 percent m-o-m), fabricated metal products (+0.4 percent m-o-m versus +1.8 percent m-o-m) and computers and electronic products (+0.1 percent m-o-m, the same as in November). Meanwhile, demand reduced for non-durable goods (-1 percent m-o-m versus -2 percent m-o-m), machinery (-1 percent m-o-m versus -2 percent m-o-m) and electrical equipment, appliances, and components (-0.3 percent m-o-m versus -2.6 percent m-o-m).

Total factory orders excluding transportation, a volatile part of the overall reading, rose 0.8 percent m-o-m in December (compared to a 0.6 percent m-o-m drop in November), while orders for nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft, a measure of business spending plans, fell 1.0 percent m-o-m (compared to a 1.1 percent m-o-m decline in November). The report also showed that shipments of core capital goods were unchanged m-o-m in December, following a drop of 0.2 percent m-o-m in November.