New orders for manufactured durable goods in April increased $0.3 billion or 0.2% to $215.5 billion, according to the Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufacturers’ Shipments and Orders issued by the U.S. Census Bureau.  This increase, up two of the last three months, followed a 3.7% March decrease.

New orders of transportation equipment, also up two of the last three months, had the largest increase, $1.3 billion or 2.1% to $62.2 billion. This was due to motor vehicles and parts, which increased $2.3 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in April, up four of the last five months, increased $1.5 billion or 0.7% to $222.7 billion. This followed a 1.0% March increase. Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five months, had the largest increase, $1.9 billion or 3.1% to $63.8 billion. This followed a 2.3% March increase.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in April, down following twenty-seven consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.7 billion or 0.1% to $985.3 billion. This followed a slight March increase. Transportation equipment, down two consecutive months, had the largest decrease, $1.6 billion or 0.3% to $566.4 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in April, up twenty-seven of the last twenty-eight months, increased $1.1 billion or 0.3% to $364.1 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.4% March increase. Machinery, up twenty-five of the last twenty-six months, had the largest increase, $1.1 billion or 1.7% to $65.2 billion. This was also at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis.

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