New orders for manufactured goods in March, up eleven of the last twelve months, increased $5 billion or 1.3% to $391.5 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported on May 4. This followed a 1.3% February increase.
Excluding transportation, new orders increased 3.1%.
New orders for manufactured durable goods in March, down following three consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.0 billion or 0.6% to $178.7 billion, revised from the previously published 1.3% decrease. This followed a 1.6% February increase.
New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $6.0 billion or 2.9% to $212.8 billion.
Shipments, up seven consecutive months, increasedv$8.6 billion or 2.2% to $395.6 billion. This followed a 0.4% February increase.
Unfilled orders, down following two consecutivevmonthly increases, decreased $0.8 billion or 0.1% to $721.7 billion.
Inventories, up five of the last six months, increased $1.5 billion or 0.3% to $500.7 billion. This followed a 0.7% February increase.