New orders for U.S.-manufactured durable goods decreased 0.1% in August to a seasonally adjusted $338.5 billion, according to final data released Oct. 2 by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The decline followed two consecutive monthly increases and was revised from a virtually unchanged decrease in the advance report. July’s increase was revised to 0.9% from the previously reported 1.1%.
Excluding transportation equipment, August durable goods orders increased 0.2% from July. Orders excluding defense equipment were virtually unchanged, while orders for manufacturers with unfilled orders increased 0.1%.
Transportation equipment led the monthly decline with a 0.7% decrease. Nondefense aircraft and parts orders fell 4.3% and motor vehicles and parts declined 0.6%, while defense aircraft and parts increased 5.9%.
Primary metals orders increased 1.2% in August, while machinery and electrical equipment, appliances and components each gained 1.1%. Fabricated metal products orders decreased 1.4%, while computers and electronic products were virtually unchanged.
Core capital goods orders — nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft, a closely watched indicator of business equipment investment — increased 1.6% from July to $87.6 billion. They were 14.9% higher than a year earlier and up 10.6% through the first eight months of 2026. July’s core orders increase was revised to 0.6% from virtually unchanged.
Overall durable goods orders were 8.4% higher than in August 2025 on a nonseasonally adjusted basis and increased 7.7% year to date. Communications equipment remained among the strongest categories, with orders up 35.8% YTD, while primary metals increased 15.3% and machinery gained 13.0%.
Meanwhile, shipments of durable goods decreased 0.3% in August to $333.6 billion, ending eight consecutive monthly increases. Durable goods shipments were up 8.5% year over year and 8.4% YTD.
Including nondurable goods, total factory orders increased 0.1% in August to $663.5 billion, following a 0.8% July increase. Nondurable goods orders rose 0.3% to $325.0 billion.
U.S. Durable Goods New Orders
| Product Category | August MoM | August YoY | 2026 YTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durable goods total | -0.1% | +8.4% | +7.7% |
| Excluding transportation | +0.2% | +11.8% | +9.5% |
| Excluding defense | 0.0% | +7.9% | +6.2% |
| Manufacturing with unfilled orders | +0.1% | +9.7% | +8.3% |
| Primary metals | +1.2% | +22.1% | +15.3% |
| Fabricated metal products | -1.4% | +9.0% | +8.9% |
| Machinery | +1.1% | +17.2% | +13.0% |
| Computers and electronic products | 0.0% | +17.4% | +14.7% |
| Computers and related products | +1.5% | +21.8% | +20.1% |
| Communications equipment | +0.3% | +41.6% | +35.8% |
| Electrical equipment, appliances and components | +1.1% | +7.6% | +6.8% |
| Transportation equipment | -0.7% | +1.9% | +4.3% |
| Motor vehicles and parts | -0.6% | +8.8% | +10.4% |
| Nondefense aircraft and parts | -4.3% | -24.9% | -22.1% |
| Defense aircraft and parts | +5.9% | -18.3% | +16.4% |
| All other durable goods | +0.2% | +3.4% | +2.6% |
| Capital goods | +0.7% | +9.4% | +6.6% |
| Nondefense capital goods | +1.2% | +5.8% | +1.6% |
| Nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft | +1.6% | +14.9% | +10.6% |
| Defense capital goods | -1.5% | +31.7% | +41.8% |
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