(06-26-19)

The U.S. Census Bureau announces the May advance report on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders: New Orders – New orders for manufactured durable goods in May decreased $3.3 billion or 1.3 percent to $243.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today.  This decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 2.8 percent April decrease.  Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.3 percent.  Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.6 percent.  Transportation equipment, also down three of the last four months, drove the decrease, $3.9 billion or 4.6 percent to $80.0 billion. Shipments – Shipments of manufactured durable goods in May, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $0.9 billion or 0.4 percent to $254.1 billion.  This followed a 1.6 percent April decrease.  Machinery, up four of the last five months, led the increase, $0.4 billion or 1.1 percent to $33.4 billion. Unfilled Orders – Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in May, down three of the last four months, decreased $6.4 billion or 0.5 percent to $1,171.2 billion.  This followed a 0.2 percent April decrease. Transportation – equipment, also down three of the last four months, led the decrease, $5.8 billion or 0.7 percent to $803.6 billion. Inventories – Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, up ten of the last eleven months, increased $2.1 billion or 0.5 percent to $424.6 billion.  This followed a 0.4 percent April increase.  Transportation equipment, also up ten of the last eleven months, drove the increase, $2.1 billion or 1.6 percent to $138.4 billion. Capital Goods – Nondefense new orders for capital goods in May decreased $1.7 billion or 2.3 percent to $70.8 billion. Shipments increased $0.3 billion or 0.5 percent to $76.1 billion.  Unfilled orders decreased $5.3 billion or 0.8 percent to $698.7 billion.  Inventories increased $1.9 billion or 1.0 percent to $188.1 billion.  Defense new orders for capital goods in May decreased $1.2 billion or 7.8 percent to $13.9 billion.  Shipments increased $0.1 billion or 0.5 percent to $13.0 billion.  Unfilled orders increased $0.9 billion or 0.5 percent to $160.3 billion.  Inventories increased $0.1 billion or 0.4 percent to $23.5 billion. Revised April Data – Revised seasonally adjusted April figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $497.4 billion (revised from $499.3 billion); shipments, $503.9 billion (revised from $504.1 billion); unfilled orders, $1,177.6 billion (revised from $1,179.3 billion) and total inventories, $693.0 billion (revised from $692.9 billion).