New orders for manufactured durable goods in November 2018 increased $1.9 billion or 0.8% to $250.8 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This increase, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, followed a 4.3% October decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.3%. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.1%. Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, drove the increase, $2.5billion or 2.9% to $87.0 billion.

Yesterday, the Dow increased 175.48 points (0.70%) to 25,239.37, the NASDAQ climbed 83.67 points (1.15%) to 7,347.54, and the S&P 500 was up 18.34 points (0.68%) at 2,724.87. The Russell 2000 gained 15.48 points (1.03%) to finish at 1,517.54, and the Wilshire 5000 closed 206.07 points (0.74%) higher at 28,232.77.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note decreased 11/32, bringing its yield up to 2.725%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond fell 24/32, increasing its yield to 3.063%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1917, Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1917 (Asiatic Barred Zone Act) with an overwhelming majority. The action overrode President Woodrow Wilson’s December 14, 1916, veto. In 1952, in New York City, four signs were installed at 44th Street and Broadway in Times Square that told pedestrians “don’t walk.” In 1953, the Walt Disney film “Peter Pan” opened at the Roxy Theatre in New York City. In 1972, Bob Douglas became the first black man elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1994, white separatist Byron De La Beckwith was convicted in Jackson, Mississippi, of the 1963 murder of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. In 1997, Switzerland’s “Big Three” banks announced they would create a $71 million fund for Holocaust victims and their families. In 1997, investment bank Morgan Stanley announced a $10 billion merger with Dean Witter.