Summary
New orders for manufactured goods in March, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $4.9 billion or 0.9 percent to $539.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 1.1 percent February decrease. Shipments, down four of the last five months, decreased $0.6 billion or 0.1 percent to $539.9 billion. This followed a 0.9 percent February decrease. Unfilled orders, up thirty of the last thirty-one months, increased $4.2 billion or 0.4 percent to $1,159.7 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent February decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.04, down from 6.11 in February. Inventories, down three consecutive months, decreased $6.2 billion or 0.8 percent to $799.4 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent February decrease. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.48, down from 1.49 in February.

New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $8.5 billion or 3.2 percent to $276.2 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 1.2 percent February decrease. Transportation equipment, also up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $8.1 billion or 9.0 percent to $97.3 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods decreased $3.7 billion or 1.4 percent to $262.8 billion.

Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $3.0 billion or 1.1 percent to $277.1 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.8 percent February decrease. Transportation equipment, also up following two consecutive monthly decreases, drove the increase, $3.3 billion or 3.7 percent to $93.2 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, down four of the last five months, decreased $3.7 billion or 1.4 percent to $262.8 billion. This followed a 1.0 percent February decrease. Petroleum and coal products, also down four of the last five months, drove the decrease, $3.8 billion or 7.1 percent to $50.2 billion.

Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up thirty of the last thirty-one months, increased $4.2 billion or 0.4 percent to $1,159.7 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.1 percent February decrease. Transportation equipment, up twenty-two of the last twenty-three months, led the increase, $4.0 billion or 0.6 percent to $687.8 billion.

Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, down two of the last three months, decreased $4.2 billion or 0.9 percent to $488.8 billion, unchanged from the previously published decrease. This followed a 0.1 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, also down two of the last three months, drove the decrease, $4.3 billion or 2.7 percent to $154.2 billion. Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, down eight of the last nine months, decreased $2.0 billion or 0.6 percent to $310.5 billion. This followed a 0.6 percent February decrease. Petroleum and coal products, down four of the last five months, drove the decrease, $2.4 billion or 4.8 percent to $46.6 billion. By stage of fabrication, March materials and supplies increased 0.2 percent in durable goods and decreased 1.1 percent in nondurable goods. Work in process decreased 2.4 percent in durable goods and 1.1 percent in nondurable goods. Finished goods decreased 0.2 percent in both durable and nondurable goods.