New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in March increased again for the third month, up 2.5% to $208.4 billion. Transportation equipment, also up three consecutive months, had the largest increase, of $3.1 billion to $54.7 billion. While fabricated metal orders and communication equipment has the largest decreases, falling 2.3% and 3.4% respectively.

Shipments

After a 0.5% increase in February, durable goods shipments increased in March by $3.7 billion (1.8%) to $207.3 billion. Shipments have been up for five consecutive months now. Again, transportation equipment had the largest increase, $1.6 billion or 3.3% to $51.1 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for durable goods has been up eleven of the last twelve months and increased again $6.6 billion to $843.4 billion after a 0.7% February increase. In the unfilled orders sector, transportation equipment also had the largest increase, $3.6 billion or 0.8% to $482.0 billion.

Inventories

Up for fifteen consecutive months, March inventories for durable goods increased $4.2 billion or 1.3% to $333.9 billion after a 1.3% increase from February. For this sector as well, transportation equipment, up fifteen consecutive months, had the largest increase of $1.7 billion (1.9%) to $89.8 billion.

Capital Goods

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March increased 3.2% to $73.3 billion. Shipments increased $1.4 billion to $67.2 billion. Unfilled orders increased 1.2% while inventories increased 1.7%.

Defense new orders for capital goods in March increased $0.6 billion or 7.6 percent to $9.0 billion. Shipments increased $0.4 billion (4.8%) to $8.9 billion. Unfilled orders increased 0.1% to $141.6 billion. Inventories increased $0.7 billion to $18.3 billion.