US Factory Orders Rise 1.2% In August, Outpace Original Projections

Orders for manufactured goods in the U.S. rose 1.2% in August, outpacing the anticipated 0.9% estimate, the Census Bureau announced on Monday.

The reading exceeded July’s revised expansion of 0.7% as shipments have been up in 15 of the past 16 months, increasing 0.1% to $508.3 billion. Unfilled orders have been up for seven consecutive months and increased 1%.

The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.86, up from 6.81 in July. Inventories have been up for 14 of the past 15 months as they increased 0.6% to $749.3 billion. The investment-to-shipments ratio is unchanged from July’s figure of 1.47.

New orders have been up for 15 of the last 16 months as they increased 1.8% to $263.6 billion in August. This followed a 0.5% increase in July.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods were down 0.5% to $256.1 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods were up 15 of the last 16 months, increasing 0.6% to $252.1 billion.

Petroleum and coal products have been up 14 of the past 15 months as they saw an increase of 1.1% to $51 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods were up for the seventh consecutive month, increasing 0.8% to $457.9 billion.

The figures are adjusted seasonally but not for inflation.