Manufactured goods orders increased 0.4% in August

New orders for manufactured durable goods rose 0.4%, or by $1 billion, to $232.8 billion in August, from July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau released Friday (Sept. 25) the advance report on durable goods manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders for August that shows the orders have risen for four consecutive months, including an 11.7% increase in July.

Excluding transportation, new orders rose by 0.4% in August. Excluding defense, new orders increased by 0.7%. Machinery contributed the most to the rise and increased 1.5%, or by $500 million, to $31.2 billion. Machinery orders also have increased over the past four months.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods declined 0.3%, or by $700 million, to $244.1 billion in August. Over the past three months, the shipments have risen, including a 7.6% increase in July. Transportation equipment contributed the most to the decline, falling 1.7%, or by $1.4 billion, to $81.6 billion. Transportation equipment shipments had risen in the previous three months.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods declined 0.6%, or by $6.3 billion, to $1.07 trillion in August. The unfilled orders have fallen in five of the past six months, including a 0.7% decrease in July. Transportation equipment contributed the most to the decrease, falling 0.9%, or by $6.9 billion, to $728 billion. Unfilled orders for transportation equipment have fallen for six consecutive months.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods fell 0.1%, or by $500 million, to $420.5 billion in August. The inventories have fallen for three consecutive months, including a 0.8% decline in July. Machinery contributed the most to the decrease, declining 0.6%, or by $400 million, to $69.1 billion. Machinery inventories have fallen in seven of the past eight months.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods rose 7.8%, or by $4.6 billion, to $62.9 billion in August. Shipments rose 3.3%, or by $2.2 billion, to $70.1 billion. Unfilled orders declined 1.2%, or by $7.1 billion, to $593.7 billion. Inventories rose 0.1%, or by $100 million, to $193 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods declined 3.3%, or by $500 million, to $13.7 billion. Shipments declined 0.4%, or by less than $100 million, to $12.2 billion. Unfilled orders rose 0.8%, or by $1.5 billion, to $181.6 billion. Inventories increased 0.5%, or by $100 million, to $21.2 billion.