Factory orders
  • Prior +0.4% (was revised from 0.9% in the preliminary). Revised to +0.6%
  • Factory orders April 0.4% vs 0.8% expected
  • Factory orders Ex transportation -0.2% versus -0.7% last month.
  • Durable goods orders (revised) 1.1% versus 1.1% preliminary. Last month +3.3%
  • Durable goods ex-defense -0.7% versus -0.6% preliminary. Last month +3.2%
  • Durable goods ex-transportation -0.3% vs -0.2% preliminary. Last month +0.3%
  • Nondefense capital goods ex-air 1.3% vs 1.4% preliminary. Last month -0.6%
Factory orders

Shipment Data:

In April, shipments of manufactured durable goods , down for two of the last three months, fell by $2.1 billion, or 0.7%, to $277.6 billion. This aligns with the previously published decrease and follows a 0.7% increase in March. The decrease was predominantly driven by transportation equipment, which was down for three of the last four months, with a decline of $1.6 billion, or 1.8%, to $87.4 billion.

Meanwhile, shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, which have been declining for five of the last six months, also decreased in April by $0.4 billion, or 0.1%, to $294.7 billion. This drop follows a substantial 1.8% decrease in March. The decrease was led by food products, which dropped for the second consecutive month, with a decrease of $0.3 billion or 0.4% to $79.8 billion.

Inventory Data:

In April, inventories of manufactured durable goods, which include long-lasting items like machinery, vehicles, and equipment, rose for four out of the last five months. They increased by $5.1 billion, or 1.0%, to $521.8 billion, matching the previously published increase. This rise comes after a 1.0% decrease in March. The increase was led by transportation equipment, which has seen growth three of the last four months, with a rise of $5.1 billion or 3.2% to $164.1 billion.

In contrast, inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, which include items with a shorter life span, such as food, clothing, or petroleum products, declined for five out of the last six months. They decreased by $1.0 billion, or 0.3%, to $334.9 billion following a 0.7% decrease in March. The decrease was primarily due to petroleum and coal products, which fell $0.7 billion or 1.4% to $46.8 billion.

Looking at the stage of fabrication, materials and supplies for durable goods increased by 0.3% in April, while nondurable goods saw a decrease of 0.6%. Work in process for durable goods increased by 2.5%, while nondurable goods decreased by 0.4%. Finished goods for durable items increased slightly by 0.1%, and for nondurable goods, they were essentially unchanged.

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