The following is the unedited transcript of the news release from the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce.

Summary

New orders for manufactured goods in December, up eight of the last nine months, increased $3.7 billion or 1.0 percent to $370.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 1.0 percent November increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.2 percent.

Shipments, up six of the last seven months, increased $7.0 billion or 1.9 percent to $383.1 billion. This followed a 1.6 percent November increase.

Unfilled orders, down fifteen consecutive months, decreased $7.4 billion or 1.0 percent to $716.7 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992. This followed a 0.7 percent November decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 5.46, down from 5.65 in November.

Inventories, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $495.0 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent November increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.29, down from 1.32 in November.

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $1.6 billion or 1.0 percent to $169.0 billion, revised from the previously published 0.3 percent increase. This followed a 0.4 percent November decrease.

Machinery, up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $1.5 billion or 6.6 percent to $24.3 billion.

New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $2.1 billion or 1.0 percent to $201.4 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up four consecutive months, increased $5.0 billion or 2.8 percent to $181.7 billion, revised from the previously published 2.9 percent increase. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase.

Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, had the largest increase, $1.8 billion or 4.2 percent to $45.8 billion.

Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up eight of the last nine months, increased $2.1 billion or 1.0 percent to $201.4 billion. This followed a 2.2 percent November increase. This increase was led by petroleum and coal products, which increased $1.2 billion or 2.8 percent to $44.7 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, down fifteen consecutive months, decreased $7.4 billion or 1.0 percent to $716.7 billion, revised from the previously published 1.2 percent decrease. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.7 percent November decrease.

Transportation equipment, down fourteen of the last fifteen months, had the largest decrease, $7.8 billion or 1.9 percent to $409.7 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, down twelve consecutive months, decreased $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent to $302.8 billion, unchanged from the previously published decrease. This followed a 0.2 percent November decrease. Fabricated metal products, down fourteen of the last fifteen months, had the largest decrease, $0.3 billion or 0.8 percent to $36.7 billion.

Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up three consecutive months, increased $0.2 billion or 0.1 percent to $192.2 billion. This followed a 0.8 percent November increase. Petroleum and coal products drove the increase, up $1.2 billion or 4.0 percent to $31.2 billion.