New orders for manufactured durable goods in September increased $4.3 billion or 1.9% to $237.1 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

This increase, up five consecutive months, followed a 0.4% August increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.8%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 3.4%. Transportation equipment, up four of the last five months, led the increase, $3.0 billion or 4.1% to $76.8 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in September, up four of the last five months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.3% to $245.0 billion.  This followed a 0.3% August decrease.  Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five months, led the increase, $0.4 billion or 0.5% to $82.0 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in September, down six of the last seven months, decreased $2.6 billion or 0.2% to $1,075.7 billion.  This followed a 0.6% August decrease.  Transportation equipment, down seven consecutive months, drove the decrease, $5.2 billion or 0.7% to $722.0 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in September, up following three consecutive monthly decreases, increased $1.6 billion or 0.4% to $422.1 billion.  This followed a 0.1% August decrease.  Transportation equipment, up twenty-four of the last twenty-five months, led the increase, $1.0 billion or 0.7% to $147.9 billion.

Capital Goods

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in September increased $6.6 billion or 10.4% to $69.7 billion.  Shipments increased less than $0.1 billion or 0.1% to $70.2 billion.  Unfilled orders decreased $0.4 billion or 0.1% to $593.5 billion.  Inventories increased $0.7 billion or 0.4% to $193.8 billion.  Defense new orders for capital goods in September decreased $3.0 billion or 22.3% to $10.3 billion.  Shipments decreased $0.1 billion or 0.7% to $12.1 billion.  Unfilled orders decreased $1.8 billion or 1.0% to $179.5 billion.  Inventories increased $0.3 billion or 1.2% to $21.5 billion.

Revised August Data

Revised seasonally adjusted August figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $469.6 billion (revised from $470.1 billion); shipments, $481.1 billion (revised from $481.3 billion); unfilled orders, $1,078.3 billion (revised from $1,078.6 billion) and total inventories, $686.7 billion (revised from $686.6 billion).