• U.S. Factory Orders Plummeted 5.2% in August

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New orders for manufactured goods in August, down two of the last three months, decreased $24.9 billion or 5.2 percent to $452.8 billion. This followed a 2.6 percent July increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.7 percent. Shipments, down two of the last three months, decreased $1.3 billion or 0.3 percent to $476.9 billion. This followed a 1.9 percent July increase. Unfilled orders, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $17.0 billion or 1.7 percent to $978.8 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent July increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.27, up from 6.23 in July. Inventories, up two consecutive months, increased $3.7 billion or 0.6 percent to $611.8 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.6 percent July increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.28, up from 1.27 in July. Source: USDOC-Census

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