New orders for manufactured durable goods in April decreased $1.6 billion, or 0.7%, to $231.2 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This decrease, down following four consecutive monthly increases, followed a 2.3% March increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.4%. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.8%. Transportation equipment, down following two consecutive monthly increases, led the decrease, $1.0 billion, or 1.2%, to $78.5 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in April, down three of the last four months, decreased $0.7 billion, or 0.3%, to $233.0 billion. This followed a 0.1% March decrease. Transportation equipment, down six of the last seven months, led the decrease, $0.4 billion, or 0.5%, to $77.2 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in April, up two consecutive months, increased $2.4 billion or 0.2% to $1,122.9 billion. This followed a 0.3% March increase. Transportation equipment, also up two consecutive months, led the increase, $1.3 billion, or 0.2%, to $766.6 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in April, up nine of the last ten months, increased $0.6 billion, or 0.1%, to $394.2 billion. This followed a 0.2% March increase. Fabricated metal products, up three of the last four months, led the increase, $0.3 billion, or 0.6%, to $48.4 billion.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in April decreased $1.4 billion, or 1.9%, to $70.4 billion. Shipments decreased $0.4 billion, or 0.5%, to $69.7 billion. Unfilled orders increased $0.7 billion, or 0.1%, to $697.3 billion. Inventories decreased $1.2 billion, or 0.7%, to $176.7 billion.