Shipments of manufactured durable goods increase 0.8% in March

03 May '07

3 min read

Summary: New orders for manufactured goods in March, up four of the last five months, increased $11.9 billion or 3.1 percent to $400.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. This followed a 1.4 percent February increase.

Shipments, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $5.9 billion or 1.5 percent to $392.9 billion. This followed a 0.6 percent February decrease. Unfilled orders, up twenty-two of the last twenty-three months, increased $12.9 billion or 1.8 percent to $717.3 billion.

This was at the highest level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 1.1 percent February increase. The unfilled orders-to shipments ratio was 4.92, up from 4.88 in February.

Inventories, up twelve of the last thirteen months, increased $1.0 billion or 0.2 percent to $484.0 billion. This followed a slight February increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.23, down from 1.25 in February.

New Orders: New orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up four of the last five months, increased $7.6 billion or 3.7 percent to $215.2 billion, revised from the previously published 3.4 percent increase. This followed a 2.3 percent February increase.

Transportation equipment, up four of the last five months, had the largest increase, $5.7 billion or 9.5 percent to $65.9 billion. This was led by nondefense aircraft and parts, which increased $5.7 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $4.2 billion or 2.3 percent to $185.0 billion.

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