Research >> Economics
New Orders for Durable Goods Increased 4.0%, Ex-Trans Down 0.2%
|
New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased $9.3 billion or 4.0 percent to $240.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up two of the last three months, followed a 1.4 percent February decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.2 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.6 percent. Transportation equipment, also up two of the last three months, drove the increase, $9.5 billion or 13.5 percent to $80.3 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $2.7 billion or 1.1 percent to $246.7 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent February decrease. Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, drove the increase, $3.2 billion or 4.3 percent to $78.0 billion.
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up following three consecutive monthly decreases, increased $0.3 billion or slightly to $1,156.4 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent February decrease. Transportation equipment, also up following three consecutive monthly decreases, drove the increase, $2.3 billion or 0.3 percent to $734.5 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up twenty-three of the last twenty-four months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $412.9 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.2 percent February increase. Computers and electronic products, up seven of the last eight months, drove the increase, $0.3 billion or 0.7 percent to $50.1 billion.
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March increased $2.7 billion or 3.5 percent to $80.2 billion. Shipments decreased $0.3 billion or 0.4 percent to $79.7 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.5 billion or 0.1 percent to $728.6 billion. Inventories increased $0.1 billion or 0.1 percent to $186.7 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in March increased $1.4 billion or 17.0 percent to $9.5 billion. Shipments increased $0.8 billion or 8.8 percent to $9.9 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.4 billion or 0.3 percent to $152.1 billion. Inventories decreased $0.3 billion or 1.1 percent to $24.5 billion.
Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $468.0 billion (revised from $468.3 billion); shipments, $481.1 billion (revised from $481.3 billion); unfilled orders, $1,156.2 billion (revised from $1,156.3 billion); and total inventories, $650.8 billion (revised from $651.0 billion).
Posted: April 24, 2015 Friday 08:30 AM