(03-23-18)
The U.S. Census Bureau announces the February advance report on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders: New Orders – New orders for manufactured durable goods in February increased $7.4 billion or 3.1 percent to $247.7 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up three of the last four months, followed a 3.5 percent January decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.2 percent.
Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.5 percent. Transportation equipment, also up three of the last four months, led the increase, $5.5 billion or 7.1 percent to $83.5 billion. Shipments – Shipments of manufactured durable goods in February, up nine of the last ten months, increased $2.2 billion or 0.9 percent to $249.7 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent January increase. Machinery, up six of the last seven months, led the increase, $0.6 billion or 1.8 percent to $33.4 billion. Unfilled Orders – Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in February, up five of the last six months, increased $2.3 billion or 0.2 percent to $1,143.3 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent January decrease. Transportation equipment, up two of the last three months, led the increase, $1.4 billion or 0.2 percent to $773.2 billion. Inventories – Inventories of manufactured durable goods in February, up nineteen of the last twenty months, increased $1.6 billion or 0.4 percent to $410.6 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent January increase. Transportation equipment, up three consecutive months, led the increase, $0.7 billion or 0.6 percent to $132.7 billion. Capital Goods – Nondefense new orders for capital goods in February increased $3.3 billion or 4.5 percent to $77.4 billion. Shipments increased $0.9 billion or 1.2 percent to $75.3 billion. Unfilled orders increased $2.1 billion or 0.3 percent to $708.6 billion. Inventories increased $1.0 billion or 0.6 percent to $183.1 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in February increased $1.5 billion or 16.5 percent to $10.7 billion. Shipments decreased $0.4 billion or 3.6 percent to $11.1 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.4 billion or 0.3 percent to $140.6 billion. Inventories increased less than $0.1 billion or 0.2 percent to $23.2 billion. Revised January Data – Revised seasonally adjusted January figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $491.9 billion (revised from $491.7 billion); shipments, $499.2 billion (revised from $498.8); unfilled orders, $1,141.0 billion (revised from $1,141.2 billion) and total inventories, $672.6 billion (revised from $672.4 billion).
