Research >> Economics
March New Orders for Durable Goods increased 2.6%, Ex-Trans unch%
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New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased $6.4 billion or 2.6 percent to $254.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up four of the last five months, followed a 3.5 percent February increase. Excluding transportation, new orders were virtually unchanged. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.8 percent. Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five months, drove the increase, $6.4 billion or 7.6 percent to $91.4 billion.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, up ten of the last eleven months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.3 percent to $250.0 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, up four of the last five months, drove the increase, $1.5 billion or 1.8 percent to $83.4 billion.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up six of the last seven months, increased $9.3 billion or 0.8 percent to $1,154.0 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, led the increase, $8.0 billion or 1.0 percent to $782.8 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up twenty of the last twenty-one months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $411.0 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent February increase. Both Fabricated metal products and Machinery led the increase. Fabricated metal products, up fifteen consecutive months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.6 percent to $52.0 billion. Machinery, up four of the last five months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.4 percent to $70.8 billion.
Capital Goods
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March increased $4.7 billion or 6.0 percent to $83.1 billion. Shipments increased $1.7 billion or 2.2 percent to $76.9 billion. Unfilled orders increased $6.3 billion or 0.9 percent to $716.1 billion. Inventories decreased $0.5 billion or 0.3 percent to $182.5 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in March increased $0.1 billion or 0.9 percent to $10.6 billion. Shipments decreased $0.3 billion or 2.7 percent to $10.6 billion. Unfilled orders increased less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $140.7 billion. Inventories also increased less than $0.1 billion or 0.2 percent to $23.3 billion.
Revised February Data
Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $499.3 billion (revised from $498.0 billion); shipments, $500.0 billion (revised from $500.5 billion); unfilled orders, $1,144.7 billion (revised from $1,142.8 billion) and total inventories, $675.1 billion (revised from $675.2 billion).
Posted: April 26, 2018 Thursday 08:30 AM