New orders for manufactured goods rise in January
by March 14, 2019 4:21 pm 145 views
New orders for manufactured durable goods in January rose 0.4%, or by $900 million, to $255.3 billion, from December, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the third consecutive month orders have risen, following a 1.3% rise in December.
Excluding transportation, new orders fell 0.1%. Excluding defense, new orders rose 0.7%. Transportation equipment has risen five of the past six months and drove the increase, $1 billion or 1.2% to $90.9 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in January declined 0.5%, or by $1.3 billion, to $257.9 billion. This decline comes after two consecutive months of increases. In December, it rose by 0.7%. Transportation equipment was also down following two consecutive months of increases and drove the decrease, $1.3 billion or 1.4% to $90 billion.
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in January rose 0.1%, or by $1.4 billion, to $1.182 trillion. This came after three consecutive months of decreases, including a 0.1% decline in December. Transportation equipment led the rise of 0.1%, or $900 million, increasing to $811.6 billion. The rise followed three consecutive monthly decreases.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in January increased by 0.4%, or by $1.7 billion, to $417 billion. Inventories have risen 24 of the past 25 months, and the January rise followed a 0.3% increase in December. Transportation equipment led the increase of 0.9%, or $1.2 billion, rising to $132.6 billion. Transportation equipment has risen in four of the past five months.
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in January rose 2.5%, or by $2 billion, to $80.3 billion. Shipments declined 1.6%, or by $1.3 billion, to $78.4 billion. Unfilled orders increased 0.3%, or by $1.9 billion, to $711 billion. Inventories increased 0.5%, or by $900 million, to $182.8 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in January fell 2.3%, or by $300 million, to $12.5 billion. Shipments rose 3.4%, or by $400 million, to $13 billion. Unfilled orders declined 0.3%, or by $500 million, to $156 billion. Inventories rose 1.6%, or by $400 million, to $23 billion.