New orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods increased 1.8% in September to $345.4 billion, the Census Bureau reported October 27.
Transportation equipment accounted for most of the dollar increase, with orders rising $5.2 billion, or 4.6%, to $119.8 billion. Excluding transportation, total orders grew 0.5%; excluding defense, they increased 2.2%.
The September gain followed a revised 0.1% increase in August. Orders had risen in six of the preceding seven months.
Shipments increased 0.9% to $336.8 billion. Unfilled orders rose 0.8% to approximately $1.624 trillion, while inventories increased 0.3% to $610 billion.
These measures describe different stages of manufacturing activity. An order can precede production and shipment, while unfilled orders represent work still awaiting completion.
The advance estimates are adjusted for seasonal patterns but not inflation. They therefore measure changes in dollar values rather than directly establishing changes in physical output.
The figures remain subject to revision. Census plans to publish more detailed September manufacturing estimates, including nondurable goods, on November 3.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, October 27 advance report: https://www.census.gov/manufacturing/m3/adv/pdf/durgd.pdf