US: New orders for manufactured durable goods in February 2017 rose 1.7%, to $235.4 bln

According to the official monthly advance report on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and, orders for February 2017, published by the U.S. Census Bureau, new orders for manufactured durable goods in February 2017 rose 1.7 percent, to $235.4 billion. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4 percent. Shipments rose 0.3 percent. Unfilled orders were virtually unchanged, and inventories rose 0.2 percent. Capital goods new orders increased 2.6 percent and shipments increased 0.6 percent.

• Machinery is the industry that led the increase in durable goods shipments. Examining machinery, shipments increased 0.9 percent to $31.1 billion. This increase, up three of the last four months, followed a 1.1 percent January decrease. New orders of machinery in February increased 0.1 percent to $31.5 billion. This increase, up 11 of the last 12 months, followed a 1.0 percent January increase. Unfilled orders of machinery grew 0.4 percent to $93.7 billion. This increase, up four of the last five months, followed a 0.6 percent January increase. Inventories of machinery rose 0.2 percent to $66.3 billion. This increase, up three of the last four months, followed a 0.1 percent January decrease.