Orders for Manufactured Goods Inched Down 0.1% in August

Washington, DC, October 3, 2019-New orders for manufactured goods in August, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.4 billion or 0.1% to $499.8 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.

This followed a 1.4% July increase.

Shipments, down two consecutive months, decreased $0.7 billion or 0.1% to $503.0 billion. This followed a 0.3% July decrease.

Unfilled orders, up two consecutive months, increased $1.1 billion or 0.1% to $1,162.9 billion. This followed a 0.1% July increase. The unfilled orders‐to‐shipments ratio was 6.66, down from 6.67 in July. Inventories, down following eight consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.3 billion or virtually unchanged to $695.9 billion. This followed a 0.1 % July increase. The inventories‐to‐shipments ratio was 1.38, unchanged from July.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in August, up three consecutive months, increased $0.4 billion or 0.2% to $250.7 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 2.1% July increase. Fabricated metal products, up four of the last five months, drove the increase, $0.4 billion or 1.2% to $34.3 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods decreased $0.8 billion or 0.3% to $249.0 billion.