Research >> Economics
March 2021 New Orders for Durable Goods Increased 0.5%, Ex-Trans up 1.6%
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New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased $1.4 billion or 0.5 percent to $256.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up ten of the last eleven months, followed a 0.9 percent February decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.6 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.5 percent. Fabricated metal products, up six of the last seven months, led the increase, $1.2 billion or 3.6 percent to $35.4 billion.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, up six of the last seven months, increased $6.4 billion or 2.5 percent to $257.0 billion. This followed a 3.6 percent February decrease. Transportation equipment, also up six of the last seven months, led the increase, $3.7 billion or 4.8 percent to $82.1 billion.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up three consecutive months, increased $4.4 billion or 0.4 percent to $1,087.7 billion. This followed a 0.9 percent February increase. Fabricated metal products, up eleven consecutive months, led the increase, $2.3 billion or 2.8 percent to $83.0 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up two consecutive months, increased $4.2 billion or 1.0 percent to $431.8 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, also up two consecutive months, led the increase, $2.1 billion or 1.4 percent to $149.0 billion.
Capital Goods
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March decreased $3.7 billion or 4.7 percent to $75.9 billion. Shipments increased $1.4 billion or 1.9 percent to $75.8 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $592.3 billion. Inventories increased $0.7 billion or 0.4 percent to $192.7 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in March increased $0.5 billion or 3.8 percent to $14.1 billion. Shipments decreased less than $0.1 billion or 0.2 percent to $13.0 billion. Unfilled orders increased $1.1 billion or 0.6 percent to $181.4 billion. Inventories decreased less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $21.4 billion.
Revised February Data
Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $507.1 billion (revised from $505.7 billion); shipments, $502.9 billion (revised from $502.4 billion); unfilled orders, $1,083.2 billion (revised from $1,082.3 billion) and total inventories, $702.5 billion (revised from $702.4 billion).
Posted: April 26, 2021 Monday 08:30 AM