New orders for manufactured durable goods in October increased $3 billion, or 1.3%, to $240.8 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

This increase, up six consecutive months, followed a 2.1% September increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.3%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.2%. Transportation equipment, up five of the last six months, led the increase, $0.9 billion or 1.2% to $77.1 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in October, up five of the last six months, increased $3.1 billion or 1.3% to $248.7 billion. This followed a 0.5% September increase. Fabricated metal products, also up five of the last six months, led the increase, $0.7 billion or 2.4% to $30.9 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in October, down seven of the last eight months, decreased $2.8 billion or 0.3% to $1,073.2 billion. This followed a 0.2% September decrease. Transportation equipment, down eight consecutive months, drove the decrease, $4.6 billion or 0.6% to $717 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in October, up two consecutive months, increased $1.3 billion or 0.3% to $422.8 billion. This followed a 0.3% September increase. Transportation equipment, up twenty-five of the last twenty-six months, led the increase, $0.6 billion or 0.4% to $148.2 billion.

Capital Goods

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in October decreased $0.2 billion or 0.2% to $70.5 billion. Shipments increased $2.6 billion or 3.7% to $73.2 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $2.7 billion or 0.5% to $591.3 billion. Inventories increased $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $193.6 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in October increased $2.4 billion or 23.1% to $12.7 billion. Shipments increased $0.4 billion or 3.3% to $12.5 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.2 billion or 0.1% to $179.7 billion. Inventories decreased $0.1 billion or 0.3% to $21.5 billion.

Revised August Data

Revised seasonally adjusted September figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $476 billion (revised from $475 billion); shipments, $483.9 billion (revised from $482.8 billion); unfilled orders, $1,075.9 billion (unchanged) and total inventories, $686.2 billion (revised from $686.7 billion).