Durable Goods Orders Rise 0.6% in December

New orders for long-lasting U.S.-made goods rose 0.6% last month even as demand for aircraft plunged, according to an unexpectedly strong report that underscored a rebound in the factory sector.

Excluding transportation, orders rose 2.1%, the first gain since September and well above forecasts for a 1% increase. Non-defense orders rose 1.2%, also beating Wall Street forecasts. In addition, the Commerce Department offered an upwardly revised reading on orders for November.

For the year as a whole, durable goods orders advanced a healthy 10.9%, the biggest rise in 10 years.