New orders for manufactured durable goods in August decreased $0.6 billion or 0.2% to $272.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.2%. This decrease, down two consecutive months, followed a 0.1% July increase. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.9%. Transportation equipment, also down two consecutive months, drove the decrease, down $1.0 billion, or 1.1%, to a total of $92.0 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in August, up fifteen of the last sixteen months, increased $2.0 billion or 0.7% to a total of $272.1 billion. This followed a 0.2% July increase.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in August, up nineteen consecutive months, increased $1.0 billion or 0.2% to $487.2 billion.
Read the Census release.