U.S. factory orders excluding transportation posted a modest rebound in November 2025, rising 0.2% month-over-month after a slight decline in October, according to data updated on 29 January 2026. The improvement follows a 0.1% drop in October 2025, suggesting a tentative stabilization in core manufacturing demand.
The “ex transportation” measure strips out the often-volatile aircraft and vehicle categories, providing a cleaner view of underlying industrial activity. On a month-over-month basis, November’s gain indicates that core orders have moved back into positive territory after October’s contraction, potentially signaling a firmer footing for manufacturing heading into the final months of 2025.
The comparison is based on changes from one month to the previous one: the current 0.2% figure reflects the shift from October to November 2025, while the prior -0.1% reading captured the move from September to October 2025. While the increase is modest, the swing from negative to positive growth will be closely watched as an indicator of business investment momentum in the U.S. economy.
