US Durable Goods Orders Slip in August After Two-Month Rise
New orders for manufactured durable goods edged down in August, snapping a two-month streak of gains, Census Bureau data show.
New orders for manufactured durable goods fell fractionally in August, declining roughly $0.1 billion to $338.6 billion, according to advance data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The drop was statistically negligible but ended two consecutive months of increases in a closely watched indicator of industrial demand.
The prior month, July, had posted a revised gain of 0.9 percent, making the August reading a notable reversal in momentum even if the dollar magnitude was minimal. Analysts and policymakers track durable goods orders as a forward-looking signal for manufacturing activity and broader capital investment trends across the economy.
Read more Crescent Real Estate Sells Luxury Hotel at Avalon in Alpharetta →
The advance report captures manufacturers' shipments, inventories, and orders for goods designed to last three years or more — a category that includes aircraft, machinery, computers, and defense equipment. Month-to-month volatility in the series is common, particularly when large transportation contracts skew the headline figure.
The August data provide an early read on factory-sector conditions heading into the final quarter of the year, with more detailed revisions expected in the Census Bureau's full monthly report. Investors and economists will monitor subsequent releases for signs of whether the pullback represents a temporary pause or a broader softening in manufacturing orders.
Continue reading at U.S. Census Bureau Economic Briefing Room.
