January 2009

November 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $349.2 billion, down 7.1 percent from the revised October level and were down 7.6 percent from the November 2007 level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The October preliminary estimate was revised downward $1.3 billion or 0.4 percent. November sales of durable goods were down 6.1 percent from last month and were down 9.4 percent from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were down 10.6 percent and sales of electrical and electronic goods were down 8.8 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were down 7.9 percent from last …

New orders for manufactured goods in November, down four consecutive months, decreased $18.7 billion or 4.6% to $384.6 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported in the preliminary report on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders. This followed a 6% October decrease.

Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 4.2%. Shipments, also down four consecutive months, decreased $22.1 billion or 5.3% to $393.8 billion. This was the largest percent decrease since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 3.6% October decrease. Unfilled orders, down two consecutive months, decreased $5.3 billion or 0.6% to $815.4 billion. This followed a 0.9% October decrease.
 
The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 5.82, up from 5.69 in October. …