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 three of the last four months, increased $9.4 billion or 2.4% to $405.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 1.2% November increase. Shipments, up four of the last five months, increased $5.4 billion or 1.4 percent to $395.9 billion.

This followed a 0.2% November increase. Unfilled orders, up nineteen of the last twenty months, increased $14.5 billion or 2.1% to $693.8 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 1.8% November increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 4.70, up from 4.64 in November. Inventories, up fourteen of the last fifteen months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.1% to $482.1 billion. This followed a 0.2% November increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.22, down from 1.23 in November.

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up four of the last five months, increased $6.2 billion or 2.9% to $221.3 billion, revised from the previously published 3.1% increase. This followed a 2.2% November increase. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $3.2 billion or 1.8% to $183.9 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in December, up four of the last five months, increased $2.2 billion or 1.0% to $212.0 billion, revised from the previously published 0.8% increase. This followed a 0.3% November increase.

Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up two consecutive months, increased $3.2 billion or 1.8% to $183.9 billion. This was led by petroleum and coal products, which increased $2.4 billion or 7.4% to $34.7 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in December, up nineteen of the last twenty months, increased $14.5 billion or 2.1% to $693.8 billion, revised from the previously published 2.3% increase. This was at the highest level since the series began and followed a 1.8% November increase.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in December, up eleven of the last twelve months, increased $1.1 billion or 0.4% to $295.8 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 0.3% November increase.

Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, down three of the last four months, decreased $0.7 billion or 0.4% to $186.3 billion. This was led by chemical products, which decreased $0.7 billion or 1.2% to $56.9 billion.


Available at:

http://www.census.gov/indicator/www/m3/index.htm