New orders for manufactured durable goods in May increased $2.3 billion or 1.1 percent to $217.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, followed a 0.2 percent April decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.7 percent.

Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $1.7 billion or 2.7 percent to $63.1 billion. This was led by nondefense aircraft and parts, which increased $0.4 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in May, up five of the last six months, increased $1.5 billion or 0.7 percent to $224.1 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent April increase.

Transportation equipment, also up five of the last six months, had the largest increase, $1.0 billion or 1.6 percent to $65.1 billion. This followed a 3.5 percent April increase.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in May, down two consecutive months, decreased $0.4 billion to $984.5 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent April decrease.

Transportation equipment, down three consecutive months, had the largest decrease, $2.0 billion or 0.4 percent to $563.5 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, up twenty-eight of the last twenty-nine months, increased $1.8 billion or 0.5 percent to $365.8 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.3 percent April increase.

Transportation equipment, also up twenty-eight of the last twenty-nine months, had the largest increase, $1.5 billion or 1.4 percent to $108.2 billion. This was also at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in May increased $0.9 billion or 1.3 percent to $70.4 billion. Shipments increased $0.3 billion or 0.4 percent to $69.8 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.5 billion or 0.1 percent to $584.6 billion. Inventories increased $1.4 billion or 0.8 percent to $167.4 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in May increased $0.5 billion or 7.8 percent to $6.9 billion. Shipments increased $0.7 billion or 8.9 percent to $8.4 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.5 billion or 0.9 percent to $162.3 billion. Inventories increased $0.1 billion or 0.7 percent to $20.9 billion.

Revised seasonally adjusted April figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $465.5 billion (revised from $466.0 billion); shipments, $473.2 billion (unchanged); unfilled orders, $984.9 billion (revised from $985.4 billion); and total inventories, $606.9 billion (revised from $607.2 billion).

Read the full Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufacturers’ Shipments and Orders.

U.S. Census Bureau