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Manufacturing climbs again in March

New orders add 3 percent; Shipments advance 2.7 percent; Inventories climb 1.1 percent.

 


New orders for manufactured goods in March, up five consecutive months, increased $13.5 billion or 3.0 percent to $462.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 0.7 percent February increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 2.6 percent. Shipments, up seven consecutive months, increased $12.0 billion or 2.7 percent to $461.4 billion. This followed a 0.6 percent February increase. Unfilled orders, up eleven of the last twelve months, increased $7.0 billion or 0.8 percent to $844.0 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent February increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 5.54, down from 5.63 in February. Inventories, up fourteen of the last fifteen months, increased $6.3 billion or 1.1 percent to $572.3 billion. This followed a 1.0 percent February increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.24, down from 1.26 in February.

 

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up three consecutive months, increased $5.9 billion or 2.9 percent to $209.5 billion, revised from the previously published 2.5 percent increase. This followed a 0.8 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, also up three consecutive months, had the largest increase, $3.2 billion or 6.2 percent to $54.9 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $7.6 billion or 3.1 percent to $253.4 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, up five consecutive months, increased $4.4 billion or 2.1 percent to $208.1 billion, revised from the previously published 1.8 percent increase. This followed a 0.6 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, up four consecutive months, had the largest increase, $1.7 billion or 3.4percent to $51.1 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up eight consecutive months, increased $7.6 billion or 3.1 percent to $253.4 billion. This followed a 0.5 percent February increase. Petroleum and coal products, up seven of the last eight months, led the increase, up $5.4 billion or 7.8 percent to $74.5 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent February decrease.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, up eleven of the last twelve months, increased $7.0 billion or 0.8 percent to $844.0 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.7 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, up three consecutive months, had the largest increase, $3.7 billion or 0.8 percent to $482.1 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, up fifteen consecutive months, increased $4.5 billion or 1.4 percent to $334.3 billion, revised from the previously published 1.3 percent increase. This followed a 1.3 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, also up fifteen consecutive months, had the largest increase, $1.7 billion or 1.9 percent to $89.8 billion. Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up seven consecutive months, increased $1.8 billion or 0.8 percent to $238.1 billion. This followed a 0.6 percent February increase. Petroleum and coal products, also up seven consecutive months, led the increase, up $1.2 billion or 2.2 percent to $55.1 billion. By stage of fabrication, March materials and supplies increased 0.6 percent in durable goods and 0.3 percent in nondurable goods. Work in process increased 2.4 percent in durable goods and 0.2 percent in nondurable goods. Finished goods increased 1.0 percent in durable goods and 1.3 percent in nondurable goods.

Click here to download the complete report including charts.

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