New orders for computer and electronic products fell 10.8% to $30...

New orders for computer and electronic products fell 10.8% to $30.1 billion in Nov., primarily involving communications equipment, which dropped 40% to $5.8 billion, a Dept. of Commerce report on durable goods said. “This was the largest percent decline in computers and electronic products since July 2000,” it said. It said shipments of computer and electronic products dipped 0.5% to $36.4 billion, and those of communications equipment 1.4% to $6.7 billion. The report said for computer and electronic products, unfilled orders and total inventories remained the same at $131.6 billion and $47.1 billion, respectively, while for communications equipment, unfilled orders decreased 1.7% to $53.5 billion and total inventories rose 1.1% to $11.1 billion.