New orders for manufactured goods in October, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $10.5 billion or 2.1% to $502.7 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. This followed a 0.2% September increase.

Shipments, down following 15 consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.5 billion or 0.1% to $508.4 billion. This followed a 0.7% September increase.

Unfilled orders, down following eight consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.7 billion or 0.1% to $1,183.6 billion. This followed a 0.7% September increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.70, up from 6.65 in September.

Inventories, up 24 consecutive months, increased $0.9 billion or 0.1% to $681.7 billion. This followed a 0.6% September increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.34, unchanged from September.

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in October, down three of the last four months, decreased $11.2 billion or 4.3% to $249.0 billion, up from the previously published 4.4% decrease. This followed a virtually unchanged September decrease. Transportation equipment, down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $11.6 billion or 12.0% to $84.8 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods increased $0.7 billion or 0.3% to $253.7 billion.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in October, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.2 billion or 0.5% to $254.6 billion, up from the previously published 0.6% decrease. This followed a 0.9% September increase. Transportation equipment, also down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $1.5 billion or 1.7% to $87.6 billion.

Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, up 16 of the last 17 months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.3% to $253.7 billion. This followed a 0.5% September increase. Petroleum and coal products, up 15 of the last 16 months, drove the increase, $0.9 billion or 1.6% to $59.1 billion.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in October, down following eight consecutive monthly increases, decreased $1.7 billion or 0.1% to $1,183.6 billion, up from the previously published 0.2% decrease. This followed a 0.7% September increase. Transportation equipment, down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $2.8 billion or 0.3% to $815.2 billion.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in October, up 21 of the last 22 months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.1% to $411.3 billion, up from the previously published virtually unchanged decrease. This followed a 0.8% September increase. Transportation equipment, up three of the last four months, drove the increase, $0.5 billion or 0.4% to $131.1 billion.

Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up 16 consecutive months, increased $0.6 billion or 0.2% to $270.3 billion. This followed a 0.4% September increase. Chemical products, up 12 of the last 13 months, drove the increase, $0.6 billion or 0.7% to $90.5 billion. By stage of fabrication, October materials and supplies increased 0.5% in durable goods and increased 0.2% in nondurable goods. Work in process decreased 0.1% in durable goods and decreased 1.1% in nondurable goods. Finished goods decreased 0.2% in durable goods and increased 0.9% in nondurable goods.