New orders for manufactured durable goods in May decreased $2.5 billion, or 1.1% to $228.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This decrease, down two consecutive months, followed a 0.9% April decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.1%. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.6%. Transportation equipment, also down two consecutive months, drove the decrease, $2.7 billion or 3.4% to $75.4 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in May, up following two consecutive monthly decreases, increased $1.8 billion or 0.8% to $234.9 billion. This followed a 0.3% April decrease.

Transportation equipment, up following four consecutive monthly decreases, led the increase, $1.5 billion, or 1.9%, to $78.8 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in May, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $2.3 billion or 0.2% to $1,120.1 billion. This followed a 0.2% April increase. Transportation equipment, also down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $3.4 billion, or 0.4%, to $762.8 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, up 10 of the last 11 months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.2% to $395.4 billion. This followed a 0.2% April increase. Computers and electronic products, up nine of the last 10 months, led the increase, $0.1 billion, or 0.3%, to $44.3 billion.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in May decreased $1.7 billion, or 2.4%, to $68.3 billion. Shipments increased $0.3 billion, or 0.4%, to $70.1 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.8 billion, or 0.3%, to $695.0 billion. Inventories decreased less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged to $176.8 billion.