HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PRELIMINARY REPORT ON MANUFACTURERS' SHIPMENTS, INVENTORIES, AND ORDERS

March 2009 --------------- Released 10:00 A.M. EDT May 1, 2009
(M3-2(09)-03)
Note: All figures in text are in seasonally adjusted current dollars
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Summary

New orders for manufactured goods in March, down seven of the last eight months, decreased $3.2 billion or 0.9 percent to $345.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 0.7 percent February increase. Excluding transportation, new orders also decreased 0.9 percent. Shipments, down eight consecutive months, decreased $4.5 billion or 1.2 percent to $360.0 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.5 percent February decrease. Unfilled orders, down six consecutive months, decreased $11.9 billion or 1.5 percent to $759.0 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since November 2001-July 2002. This followed a 1.7 percent February decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 5.96, down from 5.98 in February. Inventories, down seven consecutive months, decreased $4.1 billion or 0.8 percent to $524.8 billion. This also was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since March 2003-January 2004 and followed a 1.3 percent February decrease. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.46, up from 1.45 in February.

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in March, down seven of the last eight months, decreased $1.3 billion or 0.8 percent to $160.5 billion, unchanged from the previously published decrease. This followed a 1.6 percent February increase.

New orders for manufactured nondurable goods decreased $1.8 billion or 1.0 percent to $184.8 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, down eight consecutive months, decreased $2.7 billion or 1.5 percent to $175.1 billion, revised from the previously published 1.7 percent decrease. This also was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.9 percent February decrease.

Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, down seven of the last eight months, decreased $1.8 billion or 1.0 percent to $184.8 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent February decrease. This decrease was led by chemical products, which decreased $1.0 billion or 2.0 percent to $50.2 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, down six consecutive months, decreased $11.9 billion or 1.5 percent to $759.0 billion, revised from the previously published 1.4 percent decrease. This followed a 1.7 percent February decrease.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, down three consecutive months, decreased $4.5 billion or 1.3 percent to $330.7 billion, revised from the previously published 1.1 percent decrease. This followed a 1.3 percent February decrease.

Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up following six consecutive monthly decreases, increased $0.4 billion or 0.2 percent to $194.2 billion. This followed a 1.2 percent February decrease. Petroleum and coal products drove the increase, up $0.7 billion or 3.0 percent to $24.9 billion.

By stage of fabrication, March materials and supplies decreased 1.6 percent in durable goods and 0.7 percent in nondurable goods. Work in process decreased 1.2 percent in durable goods and increased 1.6 percent in nondurable goods. Finished goods decreased 1.2 percent in durable goods and increased 0.3 percent in nondurable goods.

Released May 1, 2009. Note: All figures in text are in seasonally adjusted current dollars. The advance report on durable goods for April is scheduled for May 28, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. and the full report on June 3, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

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