News

In June, new orders for manufactured goods fell 3.3%, continuing a two-month decline, after a 0.5% drop in May. Shipments increased 0.5%, rebounding from a 0.7% decrease in May. Unfilled orders decreased 1.4%, ending a 46-month streak of increases. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio fell to 6.94 from 7.17 in May. Inventories were nearly unchanged, down $0.2 billion to $859.2 billion, after four consecutive months of growth, with the inventories-to-shipments ratio slightly decreasing to 1.46 from 1.47 in May.

Year to date, the biggest gains occurred in computers (up 24.5%); ventilation, heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment (up 7.4%); and defense search and navigation equipment (up 7.5%). The largest declines occurred in nondefense aircraft and parts (down 39.2%) and ships and boats (down 23.2%).