U.S. monthly manufactured durable goods surged $26.6 billion or 9.2% in March from February, according to an advance report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Released April 24, the report showed that March orders increased to $315.7 billion as companies frontloaded orders to get ahead of tariff impacts. This followed a 0.9% increase in February. This was the third consecutive monthly increase and followed a 0.9% gain in February.

Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal expected a 1.6% increase.

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The March increase was driven by transportation equipment — up three consecutive months — which jumped 27.0% vs February. Excluding transportation, new orders were virtually unchanged compared to February. Excluding defense, new orders increased 10.4%.

Capital goods decreased 1.6% month-over-month.

Shipment of manufactured goods — up four consecutive months — increased 0.1% to $293 billion month-over-month. This followed a February increase of 1.3%.

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Unfilled order for durable goods in March—up eight of the last nine months—increased 2.0% to $1.42 trillion month-over-month. This followed a February increase of 0.1%.

March’s inventories for durable goods—up five consecutive months—increased 0.1% to $533.3 billion month-over-month. This followed a virtually unchanged increase in February.

source: tradingeconomics.com

The Bureau will issue its final report for March durable goods orders on May 2.

Here is how monthly new orders and shipments of different durable goods product categories fared in March, seasonally adjusted, according to the Census Bureau’s advance data:

Primary Metals

• Shipments: +0.8%
• New Orders: +0.7%

Fabricated Metal Products

• Shipments: +0.4%
• New Orders: +0.2%

Machinery

• Shipments: +0.5%
• New Orders: +0.1%

Computers and Electronic Products

• Shipments: -0.2%
• New Orders: -1.2%

Electrical Equipment, Appliances and Components

• Shipments: +0.5%
• New Orders: -0.5%

Transportation Equipment

• Shipments: -0.5%
• New Orders: +27.0%

All Other Durable Goods

• Shipments: +0.3%
• New Orders: +0.3%

Capital Goods

• Shipments: -1.6%
• New Orders: +24.3%