Factory Orders Rose in September for Third Consecutive Month

Washington, DC, November 3, 2016—New orders for manufactured goods in September, up three consecutive months, increased $1.4 billion or 0.3% to $455.5 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported.

This followed a 0.4% August increase.

Shipments, up six of the last seven months, increased $3.9 billion or 0.8% to $463.0 billion. This followed a 0.2% August increase.

Unfilled orders, down four consecutive months, decreased $4.3 billion or 0.4% to $1,118.8 billion. This followed a 0.2% August decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.69, down from 6.79 in August.

Inventories, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.2 billion or virtually unchanged to $621.4 billion. This followed a 0.1% August increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.34, down from 1.35 in August.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in September, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.7 billion or 0.3% to $226.8 billion, down from the previously published 0.1% decrease. This followed a 0.2% August increase.

Transportation equipment, also down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $0.9 billion or 1.1% to $77.2 billion.

New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $2.1 billion or 0.9% to $228.7 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in September, up three of the last four months, increased $1.8 billion or 0.8% to $234.3 billion, virtually unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a virtually unchanged August decrease.

Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $1.7 billion or 2.2% to $82.0 billion.