New orders for manufactured durable goods in May increased 2.3% or $5.7 billion to $253.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up twelve of the last thirteen months, followed a 0.8% decrease in April. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.3%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.7%.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in May, increased 0.4% or $1.0 billion. This followed a virtually unchanged April decrease. Machinery, up seven of the last eight months, led the increase, $0.4 billion or 1.1% to 35.1 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, up four consecutive months, increased $2.9 billion or 0.7% to $445.3 billion.
Read the Census release.
