Orders for Durable Goods Up Slightly in June

Computers and electronic products were also up – increasing by 1.0% month on month – despite the chip shortages. Within that category, communication equipment orders rose 6.4%.

Core capital goods orders – orders excluding defense and transportation and considered an indicator for business investment – rose 0.5% last month following an upwardly revised 1.0% gain in May.

The Census Bureau’s June 2021 advance report on durable goods manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders follows:

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in June increased $2.1 billion or 0.8% to $257.6 billion. This increase, up 13 of the last 14 months, followed a 3.2% May increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.3%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.0%. Transportation equipment, up two consecutive months, led the increase by $1.6 billion or 2.1% to $77.5 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in June, up three of the last four months, increased $2.5 billion or 1.0% to $250.7 billion. This followed a 0.4% May increase. Transportation equipment, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase by $0.8 billion or 1.1% to $71.6 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in June, up five consecutive months, increased $11.4 billion or 0.9% to $1,223.0 billion. This followed a 1.0% May increase. Transportation equipment, up four of the last five months, led the increase by $5.8 billion or 0.7% to $814.0 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in June, up five consecutive months, increased $3.9 billion or 0.9% to $450.5 billion. This followed a 0.9% May increase. Transportation equipment, also up five consecutive months, led the increase by $1.4 billion or 0.9% to $151.6 billion.

Capital Goods

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in June increased $2.6 billion or 3.1% to $88.9 billion. Shipments increased $1.5 billion or 1.9% to $79.2 billion. Unfilled orders increased $9.7 billion or 1.3% to $742.2 billion. Inventories increased $1.7 billion or 0.8% to $199.7 billion.

Defense new orders for capital goods in June decreased $0.2 billion or 1.5% to $10.3 billion. Shipments decreased less than $0.1 billion or 0.1% to $11.8 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.5 billion or 0.8% to $189.0 billion. Inventories decreased $0.2 billion or 1.0% to $20.6 billion.

Revised May Data

Revised seasonally adjusted May figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $498.6 billion (revised from $495.5 billion); shipments, $491.3 billion (revised from $490.4 billion); unfilled orders, $1,211.6 billion (revised from $1,209.5 billion) and total inventories, $733.2 billion (revised from $731.6 billion).