New orders of manufactured durable goods orders increased $1.2 billion — 0.4 percent — in April to $265.3 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The increase was the sixth in the last seven months and follows a 0.6 percent rise in March. New orders for transportation equipment led the increase, at $600 million or 0.6 percent, to $86.7 billion. Shipments of manufactured durable goods, which have increased in 11 of the last 12 months, jumped again, by $300 million or 0.1 percent to $264.3 billion, according to the Census Bureau.
Inventories of manufactured durable goods increased for the 16th straight month, this time by $3.6 billion or 0.8 percent to $479.4 billion. Inventories for transportation equipment increased by $1.1 billion or 0.7 percent to $157 billion.
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods, which have increased for 20 straight months increased yet again, this time by $5.9 billion or a half-percent to $1.1 trillion. Orders for transportation equipment led the increase at $4.2 billion or 0.7 percent to $637.2 billion.
Nondefense new orders for capital goods increased 0.4 percent in April to $83.4 billion. Shipments also increased, by 0.6 percent to $78.4 billion. Unfilled orders for capital goods increased 0.8 percent to $620.2 billion. Capital goods inventories also increased, by 0.5 percent to $210.1 billion.