US: Durable goods orders rose 1.2% in December vs 1.5% expected

"New orders for manufactured durable goods in December increased $3.0 billion or 1.2 percent to $254.4 billion," the U.S. Census Bureau reported on Thursday.

Key takeaways from the press release

• This increase, up two consecutive months, followed a 1.0 percent November increase.
• Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.1 percent.
• Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.8 percent. Transportation equipment, up four of the last five months, led the increase, $2.8 billion or 3.3 percent to $90.2 billion.