New orders for manufactured durable goods in December increased $500 million, or 0.3 percent, to $167.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced on January 28. This increase followed two consecutive monthly decreases including a 0.4 percent November decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.9 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.3 percent. Machinery, up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $1.4 billion (6.0 percent) to $24.1 billion.
Shipments
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up four consecutive months, increased $5.1 billion (2.9 percent) to $181.9 billion. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase.
Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $1.9 billion (4.3 percent) to $45.9 billion.
Unfilled Orders
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, down 15 consecutive months, decreased $8.6 billion (1.2 percent) to $715.5 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.7 percent November decrease.
Transportation equipment, down fourteen of the last 15 months, had the largest decrease, $8.6 billion (2.1 percent) to $408.9 billion.
Inventories
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, down 12 consecutive months, decreased $600 million (0.2 percent) to $302.7 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent decrease in November.
Fabricated metal products, down 14 of the last 15 months, had the largest decrease, $400 million (1.0 percent) to $36.6 billion.
Capital Goods
Non-defense new orders for capital goods in December decreased $100 million (0.2 percent) to $53.7 billion. Shipments increased $2.1 billion (3.7 percent) to $59.6 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $5.9 billion (1.4 percent) to $407.9 billion. Inventories decreased $600 million (0.4 percent) to $131.7 billion.
Defense new orders for capital goods in December decreased $200 million (2.8 percent) to $8.1 billion. Shipments decreased $100 million (1.2 percent) to $10.6 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $2.5 billion (1.9 percent) to $132.4 billion. Inventories decreased $400 million (1.9 percent) to $19.8 billion.
Revised Data
Revised seasonally adjusted November figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $366.4 billion (revised from $365.3 billion); shipments, $375.7 billion (revised from $374.2 billion); unfilled orders, 724.1 billion (revised from $724.5 billion); and total inventories, $495.2 billion (revised from $495.1 billion).
