New orders for manufactured durable goods in October, down three of the last four months, decreased $16.0 billion or 5.4 percent to $279.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This followed a 4.0 percent September increase. Excluding transportation, new orders were virtually unchanged. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 6.7 percent. Transportation equipment, also down three of the last four months, drove the decrease, $16.0 billion or 14.8 percent to $92.1 billion.