Research >> Economics
March New Orders for Durable Goods Decreased 14.4%, Ex-Trans down 0.2%
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New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in March decreased $36.0 billion or 14.4 percent to $213.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down following three consecutive monthly increases, followed a 1.1 percent February increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.2 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 15.8 percent. Transportation equipment, down two of the last three months, led the decrease, $35.6 billion or 41.0 percent to $51.2 billion.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, down eight of the last nine months, decreased $11.4 billion or 4.5 percent to $240.7 billion. This followed a 0.8 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, also down eight of the last nine months, led the decrease, $10.9 billion or 12.8 percent to $74.1 billion.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, down following three consecutive monthly increases, decreased $23.4 billion or 2.0 percent to $1,135.2 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, also down following three consecutive monthly increases, led the decrease, $22.9 billion or 2.9 percent to $768.3 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up eighteen of the last nineteen months, increased $2.7 billion or 0.6 percent to $437.4 billion. This followed a virtually unchanged February increase. Transportation equipment, up twenty of the last twenty-one months, led the increase, $0.9 billion or 0.6 percent to $152.6 billion.
Capital Goods
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March decreased $24.5 billion or 33.4 percent to $48.7 billion. Shipments increased $1.4 billion or 1.9 percent to $75.7 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $26.9 billion or 4.0 percent to $643.2 billion. Inventories increased $2.1 billion or 1.0 percent to $200.4 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in March increased $0.7 billion or 4.3 percent to $16.4 billion. Shipments decreased $0.3 billion or 2.0 percent to $12.8 billion. Unfilled orders increased $3.5 billion or 2.1 percent to $169.6 billion. Inventories decreased $0.3 billion or 1.2 percent to $23.8 billion.
Revised February Data
Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $497.1 billion (revised from $497.4 billion); shipments, $500.1 billion (revised from $500.3 billion); unfilled orders, $1,158.5 billion (revised from $1,158.6 billion) and total inventories, $699.6 billion (revised from $699.4 billion).
Posted: April 24, 2020 Friday 08:30 AM