Orders for Manufactured Goods Rose 1.3% in December

Washington, DC, February 3, 2017—New orders for manufactured goods in December, up five of the last six months, increased $6.1 billion or 1.3% to $464.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. This followed a 2.3% November decrease.

Shipments, up nine of the last ten months, increased $10.4 billion or 2.2% to $475.8 billion. This followed a 0.3% November increase.

Unfilled orders, down six of the last seven months, decreased $7.1 billion or 0.6% to $1,119.5 billion. This followed a 0.2% November decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.62, down from 6.75 in November.

Inventories, up five of the last six months, increased $0.6 billion or 0.1% to $625.6 billion. This followed a 0.5% November increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.31, down from 1.34 in November.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in December, down two consecutive months, decreased $1.1 billion or 0.5% to $227.1 billion, down from the previously published 0.4% decrease. This followed a 4.7% November decrease.

Transportation equipment, also down two consecutive months, drove the decrease, $1.9 billion or 2.5% to $73.5 billion.

New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $7.2 billion or 3.1% to $237.8 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up three of the last four months, increased $3.3 billion or 1.4% to $238.1 billion, virtually unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.4% November increase.

Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $1.9 billion or 2.4% to $82.2 billion.

Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up nine of the last ten months, increased $7.2 billion or 3.1% to $237.8 billion. This followed a 0.2% November increase. Petroleum and coal products, up four of the last five months, led the increase, $5.4 billion or 14.0% to $44.2 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, down six of the last seven months, decreased $7.1 billion or 0.6% to $1,119.5 billion, virtually unchanged from the previously published decrease. This followed a 0.2% November decrease.

Transportation equipment, also down six of the last seven months, drove the decrease, $8.7 billion or 1.1% to $759.8 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, down two of the last three months, decreased $0.3 billion or 0.1% to $383.9 billion, down from the previously published virtually unchanged increase. This followed a 0.2% November increase.

Transportation equipment, down following three consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $0.4 billion or 0.4% to $123.5 billion.

Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up four of the last five months, increased $0.9 billion or 0.4% to $241.7 billion. This followed a 1.1% November increase. Petroleum and coal products, also up four of the last five months, drove the increase, $1.2 billion or 4.3% to $28.9 billion.

By stage of fabrication, December materials and supplies decreased 0.4% in durable goods and 0.9% in nondurable goods. Work in process was virtually unchanged in durable goods and increased 2.9% in nondurable goods. Finished goods increased 0.2% in durable goods and 0.1% in nondurable goods.