Dec durable goods new orders +2.9%, well....>

US DATA: Dec durable goods new orders +2.9%, well above the +0.9% 

expected as a transportation surge was supplemented by gains in the 

nontransportation components.

- Durable goods ex-transport +0.6% vs +0.5% expected, a seventh gain in 

the last eight months, pointing to underlying strength. Outside of 

transport, there were gains for primary metals, fabricated metals, 

machinery, and the "all other durables" category. 

- Transport orders +7.4%, with nondefense aircraft orders +15.9%, 

defense aircraft orders +55.3%, mtr veh orders +0.4%, and unlisted 

transportation components +21.5%, according to an MNI calc. 

- Nondefense capital goods new orders were -0.1% and -0.3% ex. aircraft, 

a sign of weakness amidst all the strength. 

- Durable shipments +0.6%. Nondef cap gds shipments -0.4% but +0.6% 

ex. air. Durable inventories +0.3%, unfilled orders +0.6%.