Orders for Manufactured Goods Rose 0.7% in August

Washington, DC, October 2, 2020-New orders for manufactured goods in August, up four consecutive months, increased $3.2 billion or 0.7% to $470.1 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. This followed a 6.5% July increase.

Shipments, also up four consecutive months, increased $1.4 billion or 0.3% to $481.3 billion. This followed a 4.7% July increase.

Unfilled orders, down five of the last six months, decreased $6.2 billion or 0.6% to $1,078.6 billion. This followed a 0.7% July decrease.

The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.60, down from 6.69 in July. Inventories, up three of the last four months, increased $0.2 billion or virtually unchanged to $686.6 billion. This followed a 0.6% July decrease. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.43, unchanged from July.