New orders for manufactured durable goods was virtually unchanged in August at $226.9 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A slight decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 3.6 percent July increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 1 percent.
Electrical equipment, appliances, and components, down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $0.2 billion or 2.5 percent to $9.6 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in August, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.8 billion or 0.4 percent to $231.7 billion. This followed a virtually unchanged July increase.
Transportation equipment, down three of the last four months, drove the decrease, $0.9 billion or 1.1 percent to $79.9 billion.
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in August, down three consecutive months, decreased $1.5 billion or 0.1 percent to $1,123.4 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent July decrease.
Transportation equipment, also down three consecutive months, drove the decrease, $1.8 billion or 0.2 percent to $769.2 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in August, up two consecutive months, increased $0.5 billion or 0.1 percent to $383.7 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent July increase.
Machinery, up two of the last three months, led the increase, $0.3 billion or 0.5 percent to $65.7 billion.
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in August decreased $3.1 billion or 4.4 percent to $66.9 billion. Shipments decreased $1.4 billion or 1.9 percent to $70.1 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $3.1 billion or 0.4 percent to $696.3 billion. Inventories increased $0.3 billion or 0.2 percent to $169.7 billion.
Defense new orders for capital goods in August increased $2.3 billion or 23.6 percent to $11.9 billion. Shipments decreased $0.2 billion or 2.3 percent to $10.3 billion. Unfilled orders increased $1.5 billion or 1.1 percent to $137.2 billion. Inventories decreased $0.4 billion or 2 percent to $20.7 billion.
Revised seasonally adjusted July figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $452.9 billion (revised from $454.8 billion); shipments, $458.4 billion (revised from $458.9 billion); unfilled orders, $1,124.9 billion (revised from $1,126.3 billion); and total inventories, $620.5 billion (revised from $620.3 billion).
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