New orders for manufactured goods in April, down two of the last three months, decreased $5.5 billion or 1.2% to $440.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported on June 2. This followed a 3.8% March increase.
Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.2%.
Shipments, down following seven consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.9 billion or 0.2% to $444.5 billion. This followed a 3.1% March increase.
Unfilled orders, up twelve of the last thirteen months, increased $2.5 billion or 0.3% to $850.7 billion. This followed a 0.7% March increase.
Inventories, up eighteen of the last nineteen months, increased $7.7 billion or 1.3% to $587.8 billion. This followed a 1.4% March increase.
New orders for manufactured durable goods in April, down two of the last three months, decreased $7.1 billion or 3.6% to $190.3 billion, unchanged from the previously published decrease. This followed a 4.6% March increase. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $1.6 billion or 0.6%to $250.1 billion.
Transportation equipment, also down two of the last three months, had the largest decrease, $4.8 billion or 9.3% to $46.9 billion. Machinery, up fifteen consecutive months, had the largest increase, $2.5 billion or 2.5%to $104 billion.