Research >> Economics
New orders for manufactured goods decreased 0.4% in December 2021
|
Summary
New orders for manufactured goods in December, down following seven consecutive monthly increases, decreased $2.4 billion or 0.4 percent to $530.7 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 1.8 percent November increase. Shipments, up nineteen of the last twenty months, increased $2.1 billion or 0.4 percent to $528.9 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent November increase. Unfilled orders, up eleven consecutive months, increased $6.2 billion or 0.5 percent to $1,267.7 billion. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.81, up from 6.79 in November. Inventories, up eighteen of the last nineteen months, increased $2.2 billion or 0.3 percent to $773.0 billion. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.46, unchanged from November.
New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in December, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.9 billion or 0.7 percent to $268.2 billion, up from the previously published 0.9 percent decrease. This followed a 3.2 percent November increase. Transportation equipment, down three of the last four months, drove the decrease, $3.1 billion or 3.7 percent to $80.3 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods decreased $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent to $262.5 billion.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up seven of the last eight months, increased $2.6 billion or 1.0 percent to $266.4 billion, up from the previously published 0.8 percent increase. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase. Transportation equipment, up three consecutive months, led the increase, $1.0 billion or 1.2 percent to $77.6 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, down following nine consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent to $262.5 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent November increase. Petroleum and coal products, down following seven consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $1.2 billion or 2.1 percent to $56.6 billion.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up eleven consecutive months, increased $6.2 billion or 0.5 percent to $1,267.7 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase. Transportation equipment, up ten of the last eleven months, led the increase, $2.7 billion or 0.3 percent to $835.0 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, up eleven consecutive months, increased $3.5 billion or 0.8 percent to $473.9 billion, up from the previously published 0.7 percent increase. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase. Machinery, up fourteen consecutive months, led the increase, $0.9 billion or 1.1 percent to $78.5 billion. Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, down following fourteen consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.3 billion or 0.4 percent to $299.1 billion. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase. Petroleum and coal products, down following seven consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $2.9 billion or 6.3 percent to $43.2 billion. By stage of fabrication, December materials and supplies increased 1.0 percent in durable goods and decreased 1.4 percent in nondurable goods. Work in process increased 0.8 percent in durable goods and decreased 1.2 percent in nondurable goods. Finished goods increased 0.3 percent in durable goods and 0.6 percent in nondurable goods.
Posted: February 3, 2022 Thursday 10:00 AM