June Factory Orders Rise 1.5%; Ex-Transportation Down 0.4%

WASHINGTON — New orders for manufactured goods rose 1.5% in June, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

The increase of $7.6 billion took new orders to $496.7 billion, the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992. The increase followed a revised 3.0% increase the previous month, originally reported as a 2.1% gain.

The June increase was lower than the median 2.2% gain projected by economists polled by Thomson Reuters. It was led by new durable goods orders for transportation equipment, which rose $9.3 billion or 12% to $86.6 billion.

Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.4% in June, after rising a revised 1% the previous month, originally reported as a 0.6% increase. Excluding defense, they rose 1% after increasing 2.7% in May, originally reported as a 2% gain.

Total shipments in June edged down $2 billion or 0.4% to $481.8 billion after rising an unrevised 1% in May. Shipments of manufactured durable goods decreased $500 million or 0.2% to $229.4 billion.

Unfilled orders in June rose $21.5 billion or 2.1% to $1.03 trillion, following a revised 1.2% May increase. June's level was the highest since the series was first published on an NAICS basis.

Total inventories increased $700 million or 0.1% to $627.7 billion, the highest since the series was first published on a NAICS basis. The gain followed a 0.1% decrease in May.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods increased $300 million or 0.1% to $377.4 billion, also the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis. The gain followed a 0.1% decrease in May.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM BOND BUYER