Orders for Manufactured Goods Rose 1.9% in July

Washington, DC, September 6, 2016—New orders for manufactured goods in July, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $8.4 billion or 1.9% to $454.8 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.

This followed a 1.8% June decrease.

Shipments, down following four consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.9 billion or 0.2% to $458.9 billion. This followed a 0.6% June increase.

Unfilled orders, down two consecutive months, decreased $1.0 billion or 0.1% to $1,126.3 billion. This followed a 0.9% June decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.79, down from 6.81 in June.

Inventories, up following twelve consecutive monthly decreases, increased $0.9 billion or 0.1% to $620.3 billion. This followed a virtually unchanged June decrease. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.35, unchanged from June.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in July, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $9.6 billion or 4.4% to $228.6 billion, virtually unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 4.3% June decrease.

Transportation equipment, also up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $7.6 billion or 10.6% to $78.9 billion.

New orders for manufactured nondurable goods decreased $1.1 billion or 0.5% to $226.1 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in July, up three of the last four months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.1% to $232.7 billion, down from the previously published 0.2% increase. This followed a 0.4% June increase.

Computers and electronic products, up four consecutive months, drove the increase, $0.5 billion or 1.7% to $27.1 billion.

Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, down following four consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.1 billion or 0.5% to $226.1 billion. This followed a 0.8% June increase. Petroleum and coal products, also down following four consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $1.5 billion or 4.0% to $34.8 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in July, down two consecutive months, decreased $1.0 billion or 0.1% to $1,126.3 billion, virtually unchanged from the previously published decrease. This followed a 0.9% June decrease.

Transportation equipment, also down two consecutive months, drove the decrease, $2.1 billion or 0.3% to $772.0 billion.