EconoIndicators

Durable Goods At a Glance

• New Orders: $212.2 billion
• New Orders Change: Down 0.3%
• Shipments Change: Down 0.4%
• Unfilled Orders Change: Up 0.9%
• Inventory Change: up 1.1%
• Nondefense Capital Goods Change: Up 1.5%

Technorati Tags: durable goods, manufacturers, orders, inventories

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ADVANCE REPORT ON MANUFACTURERS’ SHIPMENTS, INVENTORIES, AND ORDERS

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in March decreased $0.7 billion or 0.3 percent to $212.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This was the
third consecutive monthly decrease and followed a 0.9 percent February decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.5 percent. Excluding defense,
new orders increased 0.3 percent.
Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, down four of the last five months, decreased $0.8 billion or 0.4 percent to $210.1 billion. This followed a 2.6
percent February decrease.
Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up thirty-four of the last thirty-five months, increased $7.3 billion or 0.9 percent to $830.1 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 1.0 percent February increase.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up eight of the last nine months, increased $3.5 billion or 1.1 percent to $327.1 billion. This was also at the
highest level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.5 percent February increase.

Capital Goods Industries

Nondefense

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March increased $1.1 billion or 1.5 percent to $75.8 billion.

Defense

Defense new orders for capital goods in March decreased $1.9 billion or 19.8 percent to $7.8 billion.

Durable Goods Orders Advance - March 2008 [PDF]

Source: Commerce Department, Census Bureau