WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Commerce Department said Thursday durable goods orders jumped 1.6 percent to $198.86 billion in November.
The report showed durables were boosted by orders for civilian aircraft.
Economists on Wall Street had expected orders would rise 0.6 percent.
The government revised demand for October to reflect a 0.9 percent decline; the earlier estimate was for a 1.1 percent drop.
Commerce said that in November orders for non-defense capital goods, excluding aircraft, a barometer of business spending, rose 1.8 percent, after posting a 4.1 percent decline in October. Tax incentives for capital spending known as bonus depreciation allowances are expiring at year's end.
The report showed transportation orders rose 8.2 percent as non-defense aircraft jumped 64.2 percent. October transportation demand went up 0.3 percent.
Motor vehicles and parts increased 1.4 percent. Defense aircraft rose 2.5 percent.
Absent transportation, orders for all other durable goods declined 0.8 percent, following October's 1.3 percent drop.
Capital goods orders advanced 1.6 percent, following a 0.4 percent decrease in October. Non-defense capital goods, or items meant to last 10 years or more, rose 8.1 percent. Defense-related capital goods orders tumbled 31.8 percent, its sharpest drop since October 2002's 37.2 percent decline.
