New orders for manufactured durable goods in April decreased $35.4 billion or 17.2% to $170.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 16.6% March decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 7.4%. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 16.2%. Transportation equipment, also down three of the last four months, led the decrease, $23.9 billion or 47.3% to $26.6 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in April, down three of the last four months, decreased $41.5 billion or 17.7% to $192.3 billion. This followed a 5.5% March decrease. Transportation equipment, also down three of the last four months, led the decrease, $31.4 billion or 42.7% to $42.1 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in April, down two consecutive months, decreased $17.5 billion or 1.6% to $1,107.8 billion. This followed a 2.1% March decrease. Transportation equipment, also down two consecutive months, led the decrease, $15.5 billion or 2.0% to $759.9 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in April, up two consecutive months, increased $0.7 billion or 0.2% to $425.6 billion. This followed a 0.6% March increase. Transportation equipment, up twenty-one of the last twenty-two months, led the increase, $0.4 billion or 0.3% to $143.0 billion.

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in April increased $3.8 billion or 8.2% to $50.1 billion. Shipments decreased $9.2 billion or 12.6% to $63.8 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $13.7 billion or 2.2% to $624.8 billion. Inventories increased $0.2 billion or 0.1% to $190.3 billion.

Defense new orders for capital goods in April decreased $4.9 billion or 30.8% to $11.0 billion. Shipments increased $0.5 billion or 3.9% to $12.5 billion. Unfilled orders decreased $1.5 billion or 0.8% to $178.9 billion. Inventories increased $0.3 billion or 1.4% to $21.1 billion.

Revised seasonally adjusted March figures for all manufacturing industries were: new orders, $441.6 billion (revised from $445.0 billion); shipments, $470.1 billion (revised from $472.2 billion); unfilled orders, $1,125.3 billion (revised from $1,126.5 billion) and total inventories, $690.0 billion (revised from $690.6 billion).