A Stern Glance

New orders for manufactured goods  in September, up five of the last six months, increased $3.3 billion or 0.9 percent to $356.1 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today.

This followed a 0.8 percent August decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.8 percent.

Shipments, up three of the last four months, increased $2.9 billion or 0.8 percent to $363.1 billion also followed a 0.2 percent August decrease.

Unfilled orders, which have declined for twelve consecutive months, decreased another $3.3 billion or 0.4 percent to $733.3 billion: the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since the series was first published in 1992 and followed a 0.4 percent August decrease.

The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 5.83, down from 5.97 in August. Inventories, down thirteen consecutive months, decreased $4.8 billion or 1.0 percent to $492.6 billion. In August a 0.9 percent decrease was recorded. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.36, down from 1.38 in August.