Research >> Economics
New Orders for Durable Goods Decreased 1.4%, Ex-Trans Down 0.4%
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New orders for manufactured durable goods in February decreased $3.2 billion or 1.4 percent to $231.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 2.0 percent January increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 1.0 percent. Transportation equipment, also down three of the last four months, led the decrease, $2.5 billion or 3.5 percent to $69.5 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in February, down four of the last five months, decreased $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent to $244.0 billion. This followed a 1.4 percent January decrease. Primary metals, down five consecutive months, led the decrease, $0.3 billion or 1.1 percent to $26.1 billion.
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in February, down three consecutive months, decreased $5.6 billion or 0.5 percent to $1,156.9 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent January decrease. Transportation equipment, also down three consecutive months, led the decrease, $4.6 billion or 0.6 percent to $731.6 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in February, up twenty-two of the last twenty-three months, increased $1.1 billion or 0.3 percent to $413.0 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.3 percent January increase. Transportation equipment, also up twenty-two of the last twenty-three months, drove the increase, $1.2 billion or 0.9 percent to $135.4 billion.
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in February decreased $2.1 billion or 2.6 percent to $77.3 billion. Shipments decreased slightly to $80.2 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $2.9 billion or 0.4 percent to $727.8 billion. Inventories increased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $186.8 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in February increased $0.8 billion or 10.2 percent to $8.3 billion. Shipments decreased $0.1 billion or 0.8 percent to $9.0 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.7 billion or 0.4 percent to $152.9 billion. Inventories increased $0.7 billion or 3.0 percent to $24.9 billion.
Revised seasonally adjusted January figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $467.7 billion (revised from $470.0 billion); shipments, $477.8 billion (revised from $479.1 billion); unfilled orders, $1,162.5 billion (revised from $1,163.4 billion); and total inventories, $650.1 billion (revised from $650.5 billion).
Posted: March 25, 2015 Wednesday 08:30 AM