New orders for manufactured durable goods in May decreased $4.1 billion or 1.8 percent to $228.9 billion, the US Census Bureau announced Tuesday. This decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 1.5 percent April decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.5 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 2.1 percent. Transportation equipment, also down three of the last four months, drove the decrease, $4.9 billion or 6.4 percent to $71.7 billion.
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in May, down four of the last five months, decreased $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent to $239.9 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent April decrease. Transportation equipment, also down four of the last five months, drove the decrease, $0.7 billion or 0.9 percent to $76.7 billion.
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in May, down five of the last six months, decreased $5.7 billion or 0.5 percent to $1,195.5 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent April decrease. Transportation equipment, also down five of the last six months, led the decrease, $5.1 billion or 0.6 percent to $798.8 billion.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, down following twenty-three consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.8 billion or 0.2 percent to $400.6 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent April increase. Transportation equipment, down two of the last three months, led the decrease, $0.3 billion or 0.2 percent to $129.9 billion.