High nondefense aircraft and parts orders in January are helping boost the nation’s total new orders of manufactured durable goods, according to a U.S. Department of Commerce report released today.

New orders of nondefense aircraft and parts increased $4 billion, 126 percent, from December to lead total new orders for manufactured goods in January to a 3 percent, or $5.2 billion, increase, the biggest since a 5.8 percent increase last July. It was the second consecutive monthly increase; new orders in December increased 1.9 percent.

Excluding transportation equipment’s $6 billion increase, new orders actually decreased 0.6 percent. Orders excluding transportation had risen 2 percent in both November and December.

Still, overall new orders were are up 9.9 percent since last year, and up 7.9 percent excluding transportation.

The increase in nondefense aircraft orders helped bolster numbers hurt by a 9.2 percent decline in new machinery orders and a 2.2 percent decrease in motor vehicles and parts.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in January decreased $300 million, 0.2 percent, after the figure had increased for four consecutive months.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in January increased $2.6 billion or 4.7 percent, but shipments decreased $2.1 billion, or 2.5 percent, in January. Inventories of manufactured durable goods in January decreased $100 million. That measurement has decreased for 13 consecutive months.