FX.co ★ US Core Durable Goods Orders Snap Back in December After Strong November Surge

US durable goods orders excluding defense swung sharply lower in December 2025, interrupting a strong jump the previous month and signaling a potential cooling in underlying capital demand at year-end.

Month-over-month, core durables excluding defense fell by 2.5% in December 2025, a marked reversal from the robust 6.6% increase recorded in November 2025. The data, updated on 18 February 2026, compares each month’s performance with the immediately preceding month, underscoring how abrupt December’s pullback was following November’s surge.

The reversal suggests that November’s strength may have reflected one-off factors or front-loaded orders, with December showing a normalization or pause in investment activity. Investors and policymakers are likely to watch subsequent releases closely to see whether December’s decline proves temporary or marks the start of a softer trend in US core durable goods demand.