(09-27-17)
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 $3.9 billion or 1.7 percent to $232.8 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today.
This increase, up two of the last three months, followed a 6.8 percent July decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.2 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.2 percent. Transportation equipment, also up two of the last three months, led the increase, $3.6 billion or 4.9 percent to $77.4 billion. Shipments: Shipments of manufactured durable goods in August, up three of the last four months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.3 percent to $237.2 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent July increase. Machinery, up nine of the last ten months, led the increase, $0.3 billion or 1.1 percent to $31.4 billion. Unfilled Orders: Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in August, up two of the last three months, increased $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $1,132.3 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent July decrease. Fabricated metal products, up seven of the last eight months, drove the increase, $0.5 billion or 0.6 percent to $79.3 billion. Inventories: Inventories of manufactured durable goods in August, up thirteen of the last fourteen months, increased $1.4 billion or 0.3 percent to $400.5 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent July increase. Machinery, up nine of the last ten months, led the increase, $0.6 billion or 0.8 percent to $69.0 billion. Capital Goods: Nondefense new orders for capital goods in August increased $3.2 billion or 4.7 percent to $71.0 billion. Shipments decreased $1.1 billion or 1.5 percent to $71.6 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.6 billion or 0.1 percent to $704.0 billion. Inventories increased $0.7 billion or 0.4 percent to $178.3 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in August decreased $1.1 billion or 9.4 percent to $10.7 billion. Shipments: increased $0.1 billion or 0.8 percent to $10.4 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.3 billion or 0.2 percent to $142.6 billion. Inventories increased $0.3 billion or 1.1 percent to $23.5 billion. Revised July Data: Revised seasonally adjusted July figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $465.9 billion (revised from $466.4 billion); shipments, $473.5 billion (revised from $474.3 billion); unfilled orders, $1,132.3 billion (revised from $1,131.9 billion) and total inventories, $652.0 billion (revised from $651.6 billion).