(09-27-19)
The U.S. Census Bureau announces the August advance report on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders: New Orders – New orders for manufactured durable goods in August increased $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent to $250.7 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up three consecutive months, followed a 2.0 percent July increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.5 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.6 percent. Fabricated metal products, up four of the last five months, led the increase, $0.4 billion or 1.3 percent to $34.4 billion. Shipments – Shipments of manufactured durable goods in August, up three of the last four months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $254.2 billion. This followed a 1.2 percent July decrease. Machinery, up four of the last five months, drove the increase, $0.5 billion or 1.6 percent to $33.4 billion. Unfilled Orders – Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in August, up two consecutive months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.1 percent to $1,162.3 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent July increase. Fabricated metal products, up three consecutive months, led the increase, $0.6 billion or 0.7 percent to $87.2 billion. Inventories – Inventories of manufactured durable goods in August, up thirteen of the last fourteen months, increased $1.3 billion or 0.3 percent to $428.6 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent July increase. Transportation – equipment, also up thirteen of the last fourteen months, drove the increase, $1.7 billion or 1.2 percent to $143.2 billion. Capital Goods – Nondefense new orders for capital goods in August decreased $1.6 billion or 2.1 percent to $74.4 billion. Shipments increased $0.2 billion or 0.2 percent to $74.7 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.4 billion or 0.1 percent to $693.3 billion. Inventories increased $1.8 billion or 0.9 percent to $192.7 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in August increased $1.8 billion or 15.4 percent to $13.7 billion. Shipments increased $0.1 billion or 0.5 percent to $12.7 billion. Unfilled orders increased $1.0 billion or 0.7 percent to $157.0 billion. Inventories decreased $0.3 billion or 1.2 percent to $23.7 billion. Revised July Data – Revised seasonally adjusted July figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $500.3 billion (unchanged); shipments, $504.0 billion (unchanged); unfilled orders, $1,161.6 billion (revised from $1,161.5 billion) and total inventories, $696.7 billion (revised from $696.5 billion).