Orders for Manufactured Goods Declined 0.5% in February

Washington, DC, April 4, 2022-New orders for manufactured goods in February, down following nine consecutive monthly increases, decreased $2.7 billion or 0.5% to $542.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.

This followed a 1.5% January increase. Shipments, up twenty-one of the last twenty-two months, increased $3.1 billion or 0.6% to $541.0 billion. This followed a 1.4% January increase. Unfilled orders, up thirteen consecutive months, increased $5.4 billion or 0.4% to $1,288.5 billion. This followed a 0.9% January increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.74, up from 6.72 in January. Inventories, up twenty of the last twenty-one months, increased $5.0 billion or 0.6% to $785.2 billion. This followed a 0.8% January increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.45, unchanged from January.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in February, down following four consecutive monthly increases, decreased $5.8 billion or 2.1% to $271.7 billion, up from the previously published 2.2% decrease. This followed a 1.5% January increase. Transportation equipment, down following three consecutive monthly increases, led the decrease, $4.6 billion or 5.3% to $82.8 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $3.1 billion or 1.2% to $270.3 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in February, up nine of the last ten months, increased less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $270.7 billion, up from the previously published virtually unchanged decrease. This followed a 1.2% January increase. Computers and electronic products, up seven of the last eight months, drove the increase, $0.4 billion or 1.2% to $30.3 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up twenty-one of the last twenty-two months, increased $3.1 billion or 1.2% to $270.3 billion. This followed a 1.5% January increase. Petroleum and coal products, up nine of the last ten months, led the increase, $2.4 billion or 4.1% to $61.5 billion.