(12-23-19)
The U.S. Census Bureau announces the November advance report on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders: New Orders – New orders for manufactured durable goods in November decreased $5.0 billion or 2.0 percent to $242.6 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down two of the last three months, followed a 0.2 percent October increase. Excluding transportation, new orders were virtually unchanged. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.8 percent. Transportation equipment, also down two of the last three months, led the decrease, $4.9 billion or 5.9 percent to $79.2 billion. Shipments – Shipments of manufactured durable goods in November, up following four consecutive monthly decreases, increased $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent to $251.6 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent October decrease. Fabricated metal products, up three of the last four months, drove the increase, $0.3 billion or 1.0 percent to $34.1 billion. Unfilled Orders – Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in November, down two of the last three months, decreased $4.7 billion or 0.4 percent to $1,159.0 billion. This followed a virtually unchanged October increase. Transportation equipment, down following four consecutive monthly increases, led the decrease, $4.6 billion or 0.6 percent to $790.3 billion. Inventories Inventories of manufactured durable goods in November, up sixteen of the last seventeen months, increased $1.8 billion or 0.4 percent to $434.0 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent October increase. Transportation equipment, also up sixteen of the last seventeen months, drove the increase, $1.8 billion or 1.2 percent to $149.3 billion. Capital Goods – Nondefense new orders for capital goods in November decreased $1.3 billion or 1.8 percent to $71.3 billion. Shipments decreased $0.7 billion or 0.9 percent to $74.4 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $3.1billion or 0.5 percent to $684.3 billion. Inventories increased $1.1 billion or 0.6 percent to $196.8 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in November decreased $5.5 billion or 35.6 percent to $10.0 billion. Shipments decreased $0.1 billion or 0.5 percent to $12.8 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $2.7 billion or 1.7 percent to $158.2 billion. Inventories increased less than $0.1 billion or 0.2 percent to $24.3 billion. Revised October Data – Revised seasonally adjusted October figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $496.2 billion (revised from $497.0 billion); shipments, $500.0 billion (revised from $500.2 billion); unfilled orders, $1,163.7 billion (revised from $1,164.3 billion) and total inventories, $698.8 billion (unchanged).