Factory orders increased $5.1 billion (1.2%) in April

RP news wires

New orders for manufactured goods in April, up 12 of the last 13 months, increased $5.1 billion, or 1.2 percent, to $420.1 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported on June 3. This followed a 1.7 percent March increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.5 percent.

Shipments, up 10 of the last 11 months, increased $2.5 billion (0.6 percent) to $422.3 billion. This followed a 2.6 percent March increase.

Unfilled orders, up three of the last four months, increased $3.4 billion (0.4 percent) to $801.2 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent March decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was unchanged at 5.60.

Inventories, up six of the last seven months, increased $2.6 billion (0.5 percent) to $521.7 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent March increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was unchanged at 1.24.

New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in April, up five consecutive months, increased $5.2 billion (2.8 percent) to $193.8 billion, revised from the previously published 2.9 percent increase. This followed a 0.1 percent March increase.

Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, had the largest increase, $6.9 billion (15.8 percent) to $50.5 billion.

New orders for manufactured non-durable goods decreased $0.2 billion (0.1 percent) to $226.3 billion.

Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in April, up two consecutive months, increased $2.7 billion (1.4 percent) to $196.0 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 2.1 percent March increase.

Computers and electronic products, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, had the largest increase, $2.5 billion (8.1 percent) to $33.3 billion.

Shipments of manufactured non-durable goods, down following eight consecutive monthly increases, decreased $200 million (0.1 percent) to $226.3 billion. This followed a 3.1 percent March increase. Petroleum and coal products, down two of the last three months, drove the decrease, down $400 million (0.8 percent) to $57.2 billion.

Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in April, up three of the last four months, increased $3.4 billion (0.4 percent) to $801.2 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.1 percent March decrease.

Transportation equipment, also up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $2.2 billion (0.5 percent) to $480.0 billion.

Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in April, up four consecutive months, increased $2.0 billion (0.7 percent) to $301.4 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.6 percent March increase.

Primary metals, up six consecutive months, had the largest increase, $1.2 billion (4.3 percent) to $29.9 billion.

Inventories of manufactured non-durable goods, up seven consecutive months, increased $700 million (0.3 percent) to $220.2 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent March increase. Plastic and rubber products led the increase, up $200 million or 1.1 percent to $19.2 billion.

By stage of fabrication, April materials and supplies increased 0.5 percent in durable goods and decreased 1.1 percent in non-durable goods. Work in process increased 1.3 percent in durable goods and 0.9 percent in non-durable goods. Finished goods increased 0.1 percent in durable goods and 1.0 percent in non-durable goods.

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