New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in February decreased $1.9 billion or 0.9 percent to $200.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down four of the last five months, followed a 3.6 percent January increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.6 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.4 percent.

Machinery, down two consecutive months, had the largest decrease, $1.2 billion or 4.2 percent to $26.6 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in February, up five of the last six months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.3 percent to $203.2 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent January increase.

Machinery, up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $0.7 billion or 2.6 percent to $26.1 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in February, up ten of the last eleven months, increased $2.9 billion or 0.4 percent to $833.7 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent January increase.

Transportation equipment, up two consecutive months, had the largest increase, $1.1 billion or 0.2 percent to $477.3 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in February, up fourteen consecutive months, increased $2.9 billion or 0.9 percent to $328.3 billion. This followed a 0.9 percent January increase.

Transportation equipment, also up fourteen consecutive months, had the largest increase, $0.8 billion or 0.9 percent to $87.8 billion.

Capital Goods

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in February increased $1.7 billion or 2.5 percent to $69.1 billion. Shipments increased $0.7 billion or 1.1 percent to $66.2 billion. Unfilled orders increased $2.9 billion or 0.6 percent to $505.1 billion. Inventories increased $1.2 billion or 0.8 percent to $139.7 billion.

Defense new orders for capital goods in February decreased $2.8 billion or 24.8 percent to $8.3 billion. Shipments increased $0.2 billion or 2.5 percent to $8.5 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $0.1 billion or 0.1 percent to $141.4 billion. Inventories increased $0.1 billon or 0.4 percent to $17.6 billion.

Revised January Data

Revised seasonally adjusted January figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $446.1 billion (revised from $445.6 billion); shipments, $446.7 billion (revised from $447.4 billion); unfilled orders, $830.8 billion (revised from $829.6 billion); and total inventories, $560.2 billion (revised from $559.3 billion).