New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased 0.5% or $1.4 billion to $256.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up ten of the last eleven months, followed a 0.9% February decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.6%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.5%.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, increased 2.5% or $6.4 billion. This followed a 3.6% February decrease. Transportation equipment, up six of the last seven months, led the increase, $3.7 billion or 4.8% to $82.1 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up two consecutive months, increased $4.2 billion or 1.0% to $431.8 billion.
Read the Census release.