WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Orders for durable goods, products designed to last at least three years, rose 0.1 percent in November, the U.S. Commerce Department said.

Economists had forecast a 3 percent rise in durable goods orders, a key measure of business equipment spending. November durable goods orders increased 0.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted $214.67 billion, largely because of a 1.9 percent increase in durable goods orders in the transportation sector.

Durable goods orders fell in August, September and October.

Demand for non-defense capital goods, excluding aircraft, rose 0.2 percent last month, the Commerce Department said. Orders for new commercial aircraft increased 20.9 percent in November and orders for motor vehicles and parts rose 1.1 percent.

The Conference Board's index of consumer confidence rose to 88.6 in December from a revised 87.8 in November as U.S. consumers were slightly less pessimistic about the future of the economy.

The U.S. Labor Department said first-time claims for unemployment benefits rose by 1,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 349,000.