Orders for Manufactured Goods Fell for Third Consecutive Month

Washington, DC, October 27, 2016—New orders for manufactured durable goods in September decreased $0.3 billion or 0.1% to $227.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced.

This decrease, down following two consecutive monthly increases, followed a 0.3% August increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.2%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.7%.

Transportation equipment, also down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $0.6 billion or 0.8% to $77.5 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in September, up three of the last four months, increased $2.0 billion or 0.8% to $234.5 billion. This followed a virtually unchanged August decrease.

Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $1.8 billion or 2.3% to $82.1 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in September, down four consecutive months, decreased $3.9 billion or 0.4% to $1,119.3 billion. This followed a 0.1% August decrease.

Transportation equipment, also down four consecutive months, drove the decrease, $4.6 billion or 0.6% to $764.2 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in September, up three consecutive months, increased $0.5 billion or 0.1% to $384.0 billion. This followed a 0.1% August increase.

Machinery, up three of the last four months, led the increase, $0.3 billion or 0.5% to $66.0 billion.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in September increased $1.0 billion or 1.5% to $68.2 billion. Shipments increased $1.5 billion or 2.2% to $71.8 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $3.6 billion or 0.5% to $692.8 billion. Inventories increased $0.5 billion or 0.3% to $170.4 billion.

Defense new orders for capital goods in September decreased $0.9 billion or 7.7% to $11.3 billion. Shipments increased $0.1 billion or 0.8% to $10.4 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.9 billion or 0.6% to $138.5 billion. Inventories decreased less than $0.1 billion or 0.2% to $20.8 billion.

Revised seasonally adjusted August figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $453.4 billion (revised from $453.1 billion); shipments, $458.4 billion (revised from $458.1 billion); unfilled orders, $1,123.2 billion (virtually unchanged); and total inventories, $621.6 billion (revised from $622.0 billion).