U.S. Census Bureau release Advance report on manufacturers' shipments, inventories & orders December 2007.
New Orders: New orders for manufactured durable goods in December increased $11.2 billion or 5.2 percent to $226.6 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This was the second consecutive monthly increase and followed 0.5 percent November increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 2.6 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.9 percent.
Transportation equipment, up three consecutive months, had the largest increase, $7.3 billion or 11.3 percent to $71.4 billion. This was due to defense aircraft and parts, which increased $3.5 billion.
Shipments: Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, down four of the last five months, decreased $0.1 billion or 0.1 percent to $212.6 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent November decrease. Transportation equipment, down four of the last five months, had the largest decrease, $0.8 billion or 1.4 percent to $55.8 billion.
Unfilled Orders: Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up thirty-one of the last thirty-two months, increased $20.0 billion or 2.5 percent to $808.6 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 1.2 percent November increase.
Transportation equipment, up twenty-six of the last twenty-seven months, had the largest increase, $15.6 billion or 3.4percent to $474.8 billion.