Orders for Manufactured Goods Orders Rose 0.4% in May

Washington, DC, July 3, 2018-New orders for manufactured goods in May, up three of the last four months, increased $1.8 billion or 0.4% to $498.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.

This followed a 0.4% April decrease.

Shipments, up twelve of the last thirteen months, increased $2.8 billion or 0.6% to $496.1 billion. This followed a 0.1% April increase. Unfilled orders, up six of the last seven months, increased $6.2 billion or 0.5% to $1,160.8 billion. This followed a 0.6% April increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.68, down from 6.73 in April. Inventories, up nineteen consecutive months, increased $1.3 billion or 0.2% to $668.4 billion. This followed a 0.4% April increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.35, unchanged from April.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in May, down two consecutive months, decreased $0.9 billion or 0.4% to $249.2 billion, up from the previously published 0.6% decrease. This followed a 1.0% April decrease. Transportation equipment, also down two consecutive months, drove the decrease, $0.9 billion or 1.1% to $86.1 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $2.7 billion or 1.1 percent to $249.0 billion.