New data show that U.S. durable goods orders excluding transportation ticked up in December 2025, suggesting a modest firming in underlying business demand heading into year-end.
The indicator, which strips out the often-volatile transportation component to provide a clearer view of core manufacturing activity, rose 1.0% month-over-month in December 2025. That marks a slight acceleration from November 2025, when the measure increased by 0.9% compared with October. The figures, updated on 23 February 2026, underscore a second consecutive month of growth in core durable orders on a month-over-month basis.
Because the comparison is month-over-month, December’s “actual” reflects the change from November to December, while November’s “previous” value captures the change from October to November. The incremental pick-up from 0.9% to 1.0% may indicate gradually improving demand for long-lasting goods outside the transport sector, a category closely watched as a barometer of business investment and broader economic momentum in the United States.
