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. …