Durable Goods Orders Rose 1.7% in May

Washington, DC, June 27, 2023-New orders for manufactured durable goods in May, up three consecutive months, increased $4.9 billion or 1.7% to $288.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This followed a 1.2% April increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.6%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 3.0%. Transportation equipment, also up three consecutive months, led the increase, $3.9 billion or 3.9% to $102.6 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in May, up two of the last three months, increased $4.8 billion or 1.7% to $282.7 billion. This followed a 0.6% April decrease. Transportation equipment, also up two of the last three months, led the increase, $4.0 billion or 4.6% to $91.8 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in May, up five of the last six months, increased $10.6 billion or 0.8% to $1,302.0 billion. This followed a 0.8 April increase. Transportation equipment, also up five of the last six months, drove the increase, $10.8 billion or 1.4 to $803.9 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, up five of the last six months, increased $1.2 billion or 0.2 to $522.9 billion. This followed a 1.0 April increase. Machinery, up thirty-one consecutive months, led the increase, $0.5 billion or 0.5 to $94.4 billion.