EconoIndicators

Factory Orders At a Glance

• New Orders: $432.3 billion
• Monthly Change: Up 1.4%
• Shipments: $428.7 billion
• Monthly Change: Up 1.1%
• Inventories: $544.3 billion
• Monthly Change: Up 0.9%

Technorati Tags: factory orders, inventories, manufacturing

Full Report on Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories and Orders
March 2008
Summary
New orders for manufactured goods in March, up
following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased
$5.9 billion or 1.4 percent to $432.3 billion, the U.S.
Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 0.9
percent February decrease.
Shipments, up two of the last three months, increased
$4.9 billion or 1.1 percent to $428.7 billion. This
followed a 1.9 percent February decrease.
Unfilled orders, up thirty-four of the last thirty-five
months, increased $8.9 billion or 1.1 percent to $832.3
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. The unfilled orders-to-
shipments ratio was 5.49, down from 5.50 in February.
Inventories, up thirteen of the last fourteen months,
increased $5.0 billion or 0.9 percent to $544.3 billion.
This was also at the highest level since the series was
first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.7
percent February increase. The inventories-to-shipments
ratio was 1.27, unchanged from February.
New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in March,
up following two consecutive monthly decreases,
increased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $213.7 billion,
revised from the previously published 0.3 percent
decrease. This followed a 0.6 percent February
decrease.
Machinery, up three of the last four months, had the
largest increase, $1.7 billion or 6.4 percent to $28.9
billion.
New orders for manufactured nondurable goods
increased $5.6 billion or 2.6 percent to $218.6 billion.
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, unchanged from the
previously published decrease. This followed a 2.6
percent February decrease.
Transportation equipment, down four of the last five
months, had the largest decrease, $1.0 billion or 1.7
percent to $54.2 billion.
Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up two
of the last three months, increased $5.6 billion or 2.6
percent to $218.6 billion. This was also at the highest
level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis
in 1992 and followed a 1.1 percent February decrease.
This increase was led by petroleum and coal products,
which increased $4.4 billion or 8.7 percent to $55.0
billion. The petroleum and coal products were also at
the highest level since the series was first stated on a
NAICS basis in 1992.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in
March, up thirty-four of the last thirty-five months,
increased $8.9 billion or 1.1 percent to $832.3 billion,
revised from the previously published 0.9 percent
increase. This was also at the highest level since the
series was first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and
followed a 1.0 percent February increase.
Transportation equipment, up twenty-nine of the last
thirty months, had the largest increase, $7.7 billion or
1.6 percent to $495.1 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March,
up eight of the last nine months, increased $3.1 billion or
1.0 percent to $326.6 billion, revised from the previously
published 1.1 percent increase. This was also at the
highest level since the series was first stated on a NAICS
basis in 1992 and followed a 0.4 percent February
increase.
Transportation equipment, up fourteen of the last
fifteen months, had the largest increase, $1.6 billion or
1.9 percent to $85.5 billion.
Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up six
of the last seven months, increased $1.9 billion or 0.9
percent to $217.7 billion. This was also at the highest
level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis
in 1992 and followed a 1.1 percent February increase.
Petroleum and coal products drove the increase, up $2.0
billion or 4.9 percent to $43.6 billion.
By stage of fabrication, March materials and supplies
increased 0.6 percent in durable goods and 0.2 percent in
nondurable goods. Work in process increased 1.6
percent in durable goods and 0.5 percent in nondurable
goods. Finished goods increased 0.6 percent in durable
goods and 1.5 percent in nondurable goods.

Source: Commerce Department, Census Bureau