US durable goods orders posted a strong upside surprise in November, rising 5.3% mom to USD 323.8B, well above expectations for a 3.1% increase.
Excluding transportation, orders rose a solid 0.5% mom to USD 204.4B, also beating forecasts of a 0.3% increase. Ex-defense orders jumped an even stronger 6.6% mom to USD 286.9B.
Transportation equipment was the clear driver, surging 17.9% mom to USD 119.3B. While volatility in this category is common, the underlying gains in core orders suggest business investment remained resilient.
