(04-25-19)
The U.S. Census Bureau announces the March advance report on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders: New Orders – New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased $6.8 billion or 2.7 percent to $258.5 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up four of the last five months, followed a 1.1 percent February decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.3 percent.
Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five months, led the increase, $6.1 billion or 7.0 percent to $93.8 billion. Shipments – Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, up four of the last five months, increased $0.9 billion or 0.3 percent to $259.6 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, drove the increase, $1.0 billion or 1.1 percent to $90.7 billion. Unfilled Orders -Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up two of the last three months, increased $3.2 billion or 0.3 percent to $1,181.9 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent February decrease. Transportation equipment, also up two of the last three months, led the increase, $3.1 billion or 0.4 percent to $811.9 billion. Inventories – Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up twenty‐six of the last twenty‐seven months, increased $1.4 billion or 0.3 percent to $420.5 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent February increase. Machinery, up fifteen of the last sixteen months, led the increase, $0.7 billion or 1.0 percent to $71.6 billion. Capital Goods – Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March increased $4.9 billion or 6.5 percent to $80.5 billion. Shipments increased less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $79.0 billion. Unfilled orders increased $1.4 billion or 0.2 percent to $708.2 billion. Inventories increased $1.3 billion or 0.7 percent to $184.9 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in March increased $1.0 billion or 7.4 percent to $13.9 billion. Shipments increased $0.1 billion or 1.0 percent to $12.6 billion. Unfilled orders increased $1.4 billion or 0.9 percent to $158.1 billion. Inventories increased $0.2 billion or 0.8 percent to $23.1 billion. Revised February Data – Revised seasonally adjusted February figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $498.7 billion (revised from $497.5 billion); shipments, $505.7 billion (revised from $505.5 billion); unfilled orders, $1,178.7 billion (revised from $1,177.6 billion) and total inventories, $688.0 billion (revised from $687.8 billion).
