New orders for American-made goods fell by 1.3% during October, according to figures published Jan. 7 by the Census Bureau.

Following increases of 1.3% and 0.2% in August and September, overall October orders totaled $604.8 billion. The month-to-month decrease was primarily impacted by declines in transportation and equipment — down 6.4% to $103.9 billion, with the biggest drivers being nondefense aircraft (-20%), electrical equipment, appliances and components (-1.6%) and primary metals (-0.9%). On the other end, orders were higher for machinery (0.7%), fabricated metal products (0.6%) and computers and electronic products (0.9%).

October U.S. manufactured goods orders: Month-over-Month

Economists expected a 1.2% factory orders decline.

Excluding non-defense capital goods, the Bureau reported that new orders (of core capital goods) increased 0.5% during October month-to-month.

On a year-over-year basis, overall October orders increased 3.3%.

Monthly shipments of overall factory goods ticked up 0.1% in October after two straight decreases. Unfilled orders increased 0.2% and the unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio moved down to 6.92 from 6.98 in September. October inventories were virtually unchanged after a 0.1% September decrease and the inventories-to-shipments ratio of 1.56 likewise was flat.

The October report was delayed by the 43-day government shutdown that spanned Oct. 1-Nov. 13. It came two days after the Institute for Supply Management’s monthly Purchasing Managers Index showed accelerated contraction for a third straight month to its lowest reading since October 2024.

Durable Goods

New orders for U.S. durable goods fell 2.2% during October following a 0.6% September increase.

October U.S. manufactured durable goods orders: Month-over-Month

Shipments of durable goods — up 10 of the last 11 months — increased 0.6% during October following a 0.1% September increase. Transportation equipment led the increase with a 1.4% gain. Unfilled orders — up 15 of the last 16 months — increased 0.2% after a 0.8% September gain. Inventories increased 0.2% in October after a 0.1% September decrease. Machinery — up seven of the last eight months — led the increase at +0.3%.

Here’s how the seasonally-adjusted value of manufacturers’ orders changed during October for certain durable goods categories:

• Electrical equipment, appliances & components: 0.0% (+0.5% in Sept.)
  • Electrical equipment: +0.8% (+2.5% in Sept.)
• Fabricated metal products: +0.4% (+0.2% in Sept.)
• Farm machinery: +5.1% (-0.2% in Sept.)
• Industrial machinery: +7.2% (+4.3% in Sept.)
• Metalworking machinery: +0.7% (0.0% in Sept.)
• Mining, oilfield & gas field machinery: -4.2% (+0.2% in Sept.)
• Construction machinery: -2.5% (+6.0% in Sept.)
• HVACR equipment: -2.3% (+1.2% in Sept.)
• Turbines, generators & other power transmission equipment: +4.6% (+2.0% in Sept.)
• Material handling equipment: -3.2% (+1.2% in Sept.)
• Computers & electronics: +0.5% (-0.1% in Sept.)

Nondurable Goods

Orders for nondurable goods fell 0.4% during October. Shipments — down three straight months — likewise fell 0.4% after a 0.2% slide in September. Petroleum and coal products drove the decrease at -2.4%. Inventories — down three straight months — fell 0.2% following a 0.1% September dip. Petroleum and coal products led the inventories decrease at -0.8%.