(02-21-19)
The U.S. Census Bureau announces the December advance report on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders: New Orders – New orders for manufactured durable goods in December increased $3.0 billion or 1.2 percent to $254.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up two consecutive months, followed a 1.0 percent November increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.1 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.8 percent.
Transportation equipment, up four of the last five months, led the increase, $2.8 billion or 3.3 percent to $90.2 billion. Shipments – Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up four of the last five months, increased $2.1 billion or 0.8 percent to $259.7 billion. This followed a 1.0 percent November increase. Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five months, led the increase, $1.4 billion or 1.5 percent to $91.4 billion. Unfilled Orders – Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, down three consecutive months, decreased $1.1 billion or 0.1 percent to $1,180.1 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent November decrease. Transportation equipment, also down three consecutive months, drove the decrease, $1.2 billion or 0.1 percent to $811.1 billion. Inventories – Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, up twenty-three of the last twenty-four months, increased $0.9 billion or 0.2 percent to $414.7 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent November increase. Primary metals, up twenty-five of the last twenty-six months, led the increase, $0.4 billion or 1.1 percent to $36.6 billion. Capital Goods – Nondefense new orders for capital goods in December increased $2.8 billion or 3.7 percent to $77.8 billion. Shipments increased $0.4 billion or 0.5 percent to $80.0 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $2.2 billion or 0.3 percent to $708.1 billion. Inventories increased $0.5 billion or 0.3 percent to $181.5 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in December decreased $1.0 billion or 7.0 percent to $13.3 billion. Shipments increased $0.5 billion or 4.1 percent to $12.5 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.8 billion or 0.5 percent to $157.1 billion. Inventories decreased $0.2 billion or 1.0 percent to $22.7 billion. Revised November Data – Revised seasonally adjusted November figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $499.9 billion (revised from $499.2); shipments, $506.0 billion (revised from $505.1 billion); unfilled orders, $1,181.3 billion (revised from $1,181.5 billion) and total inventories, $681.3 billion (revised from $681.1 billion).
