New orders for manufactured goods fell 1.7 percent to $454.0 billion in February, following a 1.2 percent January increase according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This was the third decrease in the last four months. Excluding transportation, new orders fell by 0.8 percent to $379.8 billion.
New orders for manufactured durable goods fell 3.0 percent to $229.1 billion in February, following a 2.8 percent increase in January. Orders for transportation equipment led the decrease, falling 6.2 percent to $74.1 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods decreased 1.0 percent to $238.0 billion, after a 1.4 percent increase in January. Shipments excluding transportation, fell by 0.6 percent, compared to a 1.3 percent decrease in the previous month. Shipments of nondurable goods fell for the eighth consecutive month, dropping 0.4 percent to $224.8 billion. Declines in shipments of petroleum and coal products drove the decrease.
Read the Census release.
