April’s Durable Goods Orders

• orders for durable goods rose 1.9% to $161.5 billion. That came after a 2.1% drop in March.
• Shipment of durable goods fell 0.2% in April and total inventories fell 0.8%
• Businesses ordered more fabricated metal products, machinery and motor vehicles.
• Excluding military orders, the number of new durable goods orders increased 1%

Sector breakdown:

Total new orders                1.9%  vs -2.1%
Ex-transportation             0.8%  vs -2.7%
Ex-defense                               1.0%  vs -2.3%
Ex-computer product           2.8%  vs -2.7%
Primary metals                        1.0% vs  -9.0%
Fabricated metals                   3.8%  vs -3.0%
Machinery                                   2.7%  vs -7.1%
Computer, electronic           -2.7%   vs 1.4%
Computers products              -6.4%  vs -4.7%
Communications                      6.9%  vs -2.1%
Electrical equipment                0.3% vs  0.3%
Transportation                            5.4%  vs  0.0%
   Vehicles and parts                   2.7% vs -0.5%
   Nondefense aircraft               -6.8% vs  7.5%
   Defense aircraft                        1.0% vs  6.6%
Other durables                           0.2%  vs -1.0%
Capital goods                                1.8% vs -2.6%
    Nondefense                               -2.0%  vs -0.9%
ex-aircraft                              -1.5%  vs-1.4%
    Defense                                       23.2% vs -11.1%

Source: NY Times & FXDD