Durable goods orders unexpectedly dip in February

New Orders 

New orders for manufactured durable goods in February decreased $2.9 billion or 1.1 percent to $254.0billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down following nine consecutive monthly increases, followed a 3.5 percent January increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.9 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.7 percent. Transportation, down following five consecutive monthly increases, led the decrease, $1.3 billion or 1.6 percent to $83.6 billion.

Shipments 

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in February, down following five consecutive monthly increases, decreased $9.1 billion or 3.5 percent to $250.9 billion. This followed a 1.7 percent January increase. Transportation equipment, also down following five consecutive monthly increases, led the decrease, $7.0 billion or 8.2 percent to $78.6 billion. 

Unfilled Orders 

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in February, up two consecutive months, increased $8.4 billion or 0.8 percent to $1,082.0 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent January increase. Transportation equipment, up following eleven consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $5.0 billion or 0.7 percent to $711.1 billion. 

Inventories 

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in February, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $2.8 billion or 0.7 percent to $427.3 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent January decrease. Transportation equipment, also up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $0.9 billion or 0.6 percent to $146.6 billion. 

Capital Goods 

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in February increased $4.2 billion or 5.6 percent to $79.6 billion. Shipments decreased $2.2 billion or 2.9 percent to $74.5 billion. Unfilled orders increased $5.1 billion or 0.9 percent to $592.1 billion. Inventories increased $0.3 billion or 0.2 percent to $192.2 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in February decreased $1.6 billion or 10.6 percent to $13.5 billion. Shipments decreased $0.1 billion or 0.9 percent to $13.1 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.3 billion or 0.2 percent to $180.2 billion. Inventories increased $0.2 billion or 1.0 percent to $21.4 billion.

Revised January Data 

Revised seasonally adjusted January figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $509.2 billion (revised from $509.4 billion); shipments, $512.2 billion (revised from $513.3 billion); unfilled orders, $1,073.6 billion (revised from $1,072.8 billion) and total inventories, $696.8 billion (revised from $696.3 billion).