Orders for Manufactured Goods Rose 5.6% in December

Washington, DC, January 26, 2023-New orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up four of the last five months, increased $15.3 billion or 5.6% to $286.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This followed a 1.7% November decrease.

Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.1%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 6.3%. Transportation equipment, also up four of the last five months, drove the increase, $15.5 billion or 16.7% to $108.1 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up nineteen of the last twenty months, increased $1.4 billion or 0.5% to $277.7 billion. This followed a 0.4% November increase. Transportation equipment, up fourteen of the last fifteen months, drove the increase, $1.5 billion or 1.7% to $93.8 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up twenty-eight consecutive months, increased $14.5 billion or 1.3% to $1,158.2 billion. This followed a virtually unchanged November increase. Transportation equipment, up twenty-two of the last twenty-three months, led the increase, $14.3 billion or 2.1% to $685.0 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, up twenty-three consecutive months, increased $3.5 billion or 0.7% to $493.6 billion. This followed a 0.2% November increase. Transportation equipment, up two consecutive months, led the increase, $1.7 billion or 1.1% to $158.6 billion.