New orders for manufactured goods in February, up two consecutive months, d $3.6 billion or 0.6% to $594.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 1.8% January increase.
New orders for manufactured durable goods in February, up two consecutive months, increased $2.8 billion or 1.0% to $289.4 billion, up from the previously published 0.9% increase. This followed a 3.4% January increase. Transportation equipment, also up two consecutive months, led the increase, $1.5 billion or 1.5% to $98.4 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $0.8 billion or 0.3% to $304.5 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in February, up three consecutive months, increased $3.4 billion or 1.2% to $292.3 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.7% January increase. Transportation equipment, also up three consecutive months, led the increase, $2.0 billion or 2.1% to $96.7 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up five consecutive months, increased $0.8 billion or 0.3% to $304.5 billion. This followed a 0.3% January increase. Chemical products, up twelve of the last thirteen months, led the increase, $0.6 billion or 0.8% to $83.7 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in February, up four consecutive months, increased $0.4 billion or 0.1% to $533.0 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a virtually unchanged January increase. Transportation equipment, also up four consecutive months, led the increase, $0.3 billion or 0.2% to $175.2 billion. Petroleum and coal products, also up four consecutive months, led the increase, $0.4 billion or 0.9% to $48.9 billion.
Read the Census release.