New orders for manufactured durable goods in July, up four of the last five months, increased $3.6 billion or 1.1 percent to $339.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This followed a 0.5 percent June increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.3 percent. Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $2.6 billion or 2.3 percent to $116.2 billion.