HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PRELIMINARY REPORT ON MANUFACTURERS' SHIPMENTS, INVENTORIES, AND ORDERS

May 2009 --------------- Released 10:00 A.M. EDT July 2, 2009
(M3-2(09)-05)
Note: All figures in text are in seasonally adjusted current dollars
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Summary

New orders for manufactured goods in May, up three of the last four months, increased $4.1 billion or 1.2 percent to $347.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 0.5 percent April increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.8 percent. Shipments, down ten consecutive months, decreased $3.1 billion or 0.9 percent to $353.3 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.5 percent April decrease. Unfilled orders, down eight consecutive months, decreased $1.8 billion or 0.2 percent to $747.3 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since November 2001-July 2002. This followed a 1.1 percent April decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.15, up from 6.04 in April. Inventories, down nine consecutive months, decreased $3.2 billion or 0.6 percent to $513.3 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since March 2003-January 2004 and followed a 1.2 percent April decrease. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.45, unchanged from April.

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in May, up three of the last four months, increased $2.9 billion or 1.8 percent to $163.4 billion, unchanged from the previously published increase. This followed a 1.4 percent April increase.

New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $1.2 billion or 0.7 percent to $184.5 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in May, down ten consecutive months, decreased $4.3 billion or 2.5 percent to $168.9 billion, revised from the previously published 2.1 percent decrease. This also 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 April decrease.

Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up following three consecutive monthly decreases, increased $1.2 billion or 0.7 percent to $184.5 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent April decrease. This increase was due to petroleum and coal products, which increased $2.5 billion or 8.3 percent to $32.3 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in May, down eight consecutive months, decreased $1.8 billion or 0.2 percent to $747.3 billion, revised from the previously published 0.3 percent decrease. This followed a 1.1 percent April decrease.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, down five consecutive months, decreased $3.3 billion or 1.0 percent to $322.1 billion, revised from the previously published 0.8 percent decrease. This followed a 1.2 percent April decrease.

Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up following eight consecutive monthly decreases, increased slightly to $191.2 billion. This followed a 1.1 percent April decrease. Petroleum and coal products drove the increase, up $0.7 billion or 3.0 percent to $25.2 billion.

By stage of fabrication, May materials and supplies decreased 1.7 percent in durable goods and increased 0.3 percent in nondurable goods. Work in process decreased 0.2 percent in durable goods and increased 0.2 percent in nondurable goods. Finished goods decreased 1.4 percent in durable goods and 0.3 percent in nondurable goods.

Released July 2, 2009. Note: All figures in text are in seasonally adjusted current dollars. The advance report on durable goods for June is scheduled for July 29, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. and the full report on August 5, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

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