EconoIndicators

Durable Goods At a Glance

• New Orders: $193.0 billion
• New Orders Change: Down 6.2%
• Shipments Change: Down 2.4%
• Unfilled Orders Change: Down 0.6%
• Inventory Change: Up 0.4%
• Nondefense Capital Goods Change: Down 3.6%

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 October decreased $12.7 billion or 6.2 percent to $193.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This was the largest percent decrease in new orders since October 2006 and followed two consecutive monthly decreases including a 0.2 percent September decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 4.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 4.6 percent.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in October, down three consecutive months, decreased $5.0 billion or 2.4 percent to $202.9 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent September decrease.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in October, down for the first time in twenty-six months, decreased $4.6 billion or 0.6 percent to $823.6 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent September increase.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in October, up fifteen of the last sixteen months, increased $1.4 billion or 0.4 percent to $341.1 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.2 percent September increase.
Capital Goods Industries
Nondefense
Nondefense new orders for capital goods in October decreased $2.4 billion or 3.6 percent to $65.6 billion.
Defense
Defense new orders for capital goods in October decreased $3.7 billion or 31.0 percent to $8.3 billion.

Durable Goods Orders – October 2008 [PDF]

Source: Commerce Department, Census Bureau