JULY FACTORY ORDERS UP 1.3%, EX-TRANSPORTS UP 1%
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008The value of new orders for manufacturers rose 1.3% in July, the fifth consecutive monthly increase, which was better than the 1% increase expected and following an upwardly revised 2.1% increase in June. Orders rose $5.9bln to its highest total on record at $465.4bln.
New Orders Ex-Transports rose 1% in July following an upwardly revised 2.7% increase in June. New Orders Ex-Transports are up for a fifth consecutive month and have increased nine of the last eleven months. New Orders Ex-Defense rose 2%, its fifth consecutive monthly increase, following an upwardly revised 1.8% increase in June.
Durable Goods Orders in July rose 1.3%, its third consecutive monthly increase, following an upwardly revised 1.4% increase in June. Durable Goods Ex-Transports increased for the fourth time in five months at 0.7% in July following an upwardly revised 2.6% increase in June. Durables Ex-Defense rose 2.9% following an upwardly revised 0.7% June increase. July Durable Goods Orders were led higher by a 2.4% increase in Primary Metals and a 4.1% increase in Machinery.
Non-Durable New Orders Rose 1.2% in July following a 2.8% increase in June. July Shipments rose 2.1%, with Durable Goods Shipments up 3%. The Value of Unfilled Orders Rose 0.7% in July and Total Inventories rose 0.5% with Durable Goods Inventories up 0.8%. New Orders for Defense Capital Goods fell 26.6% in July.
The upward revision to the June data and the generally better than expected July Factory Goods data may provide a bright spot for an otherwise stumbling economy.