Research >> Economics
New orders for manufactured goods decreased 4.3% in October
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New orders for manufactured goods in October, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $10.5 billion or 2.1 percent to $502.7 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 0.2 percent September increase. Shipments, down following fifteen consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.5 billion or 0.1 percent to $508.4 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent September increase. Unfilled orders, down following eight consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.7 billion or 0.1 percent to $1,183.6 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent September increase. The unfilled orders‐to shipments ratio was 6.70, up from 6.65 in September. Inventories, up twenty‐four consecutive months, increased $0.9 billion or 0.1 percent to $681.7 billion. This followed a 0.6 percent September increase. The inventories‐to‐shipments ratio was 1.34, unchanged from September.
New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in October, down three of the last four months, decreased $11.2 billion or 4.3 percent to $249.0 billion, up from the previously published 4.4 percent decrease. This followed a virtually unchanged September decrease. Transportation equipment, down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $11.6 billion or 12.0 percent to $84.8 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $0.7 billion or 0.3 percent to $253.7 billion.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in October, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.2 billion or 0.5 percent to $254.6 billion, up from the previously published 0.6 percent decrease. This followed a 0.9 percent September increase. Transportation equipment, also down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $1.5 billion or 1.7 percent to $87.6 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up sixteen of the last seventeen months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.3 percent to $253.7 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent September increase. Petroleum and coal products, up fifteen of the last sixteen months, drove the increase, $0.9 billion or 1.6 percent to $59.1 billion.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in October, down following eight consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.7 billion or 0.1 percent to $1,183.6 billion, up from the previously published 0.2 percent decrease. This followed a 0.7 percent September increase. Transportation equipment, down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $2.8 billion or 0.3 percent to $815.2 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in October, up twenty‐one of the last twenty‐two months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $411.3 billion, up from the previously published virtually unchanged decrease. This followed a 0.8 percent September increase. Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, drove the increase, $0.5 billion or 0.4 percent to $131.1 billion. Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up sixteen consecutive months, increased $0.6 billion or 0.2 percent to $270.3 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent September increase. Chemical products, up twelve of the last thirteen months, drove the increase, $0.6 billion or 0.7 percent to $90.5 billion. By stage of fabrication, October materials and supplies increased 0.5 percent in durable goods and increased 0.2 percent in nondurable goods. Work in process decreased 0.1 percent in durable goods and decreased 1.1 percent in nondurable goods. Finished goods decreased 0.2 percent in durable goods and increased 0.9 percent in nondurable goods.
Posted: December 6, 2018 Thursday 10:00 AM