–Aug Durables Goods New Orders Unrevised At -13.2%
–Aug Total Factory Orders Excluding Transportation Rise 0.7%
By Kevin Kastner
WASHINGTON (MNI) – The value of new factory orders fell by 5.2% in
August, slightly less than the 6.0% decrease expected in an MNI survey,
data released by the Commerce Department Thursday morning showed.
Nondurable goods orders rose 2.2% in the month, led by a 6.9% jump
in petroleum and coal shipments following a 4.1% rise in July.
Nondurables shipments are equivalent to orders in this report.
Durable goods orders are still reported as down 13.2% in August,
unrevised from the advance estimate, though the actual levels in July
and August were both revised down slightly.
Total factory orders excluding transportation were up 0.7% in
August, reflecting the rise in nondurables orders that offset an MNI
calculation of a 1.6% decline in non-transportation durables orders.
Non-transportation durables orders were also reported down 1.6% in the
advance estimate.
Transportation orders are still reported down 34.9% in August,
unrevised from the advance estimate. Motor vehicles orders fell 14.9%
in August, while nondefense aircraft orders are reported down 101.8%,
the same as in the advance estimate.
Overall factory shipments fell 0.3% in the month, while nondefense
capital goods shipments declined 1.6% and were down 0.7% excluding the
civilian aircraft component.
Factory inventories rose 0.6% in August and given the decline in
total shipments, the inventory-to-sales ratio rebounded to 1.28 from
1.27 in July. Unfilled orders posted a 1.7% decline in the month.
** MNI Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **
[TOPICS: MAUDS$,MT$$$$,M$U$$$,MAUDR$]
