Chris Savage or Jessica Young
Manufacturing and Construction Division
(301) 763-4832

New orders for manufactured goods in March, down
seven of the last eight months, decreased $3.2 billion or
0.9 percent to $345.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau
reported today. This followed a 0.7 percent February
increase. Excluding transportation, new orders also
decreased 0.9 percent.

Shipments, down eight consecutive months, decreased
$4.5 billion or 1.2 percent to $360.0 billion. This was
the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases
since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in
1992 and followed a 0.5 percent February decrease.

Unfilled orders, down six consecutive months,
decreased $11.9 billion or 1.5 percent to $759.0 billion.
This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly
decreases since November 2001-July 2002. This
followed a 1.7 percent February decrease. The unfilled
orders-to-shipments ratio was 5.96, down from 5.98 in
February.

Inventories, down seven consecutive months,
decreased $4.1 billion or 0.8 percent to $524.8 billion.
This also was the longest streak of consecutive monthly
decreases since March 2003-January 2004 and followed
a 1.3 percent February decrease. The inventories-to-
shipments ratio was 1.46, up from 1.45 in February.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in March,
down seven of the last eight months, decreased $1.3
billion or 0.8 percent to $160.5 billion, unchanged from
the previously published decrease. This followed a 1.6
percent February increase.

Machinery, down five of the last six months, had the
largest decrease, $0.8 billion or 3.4 percent to $21.6
billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March,
down eight consecutive months, decreased $2.7 billion
or 1.5 percent to $175.1 billion, revised from the
previously published 1.7 percent decrease. This also
was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases

Primary metals, down eight consecutive months, had the largest decrease, $0.9 billion or 6.2 percent to $13.3 billion.

Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, down
seven of the last eight months, decreased $1.8 billion or
1.0 percent to $184.8 billion. This followed a 0.2
percent February decrease. This decrease was led by
chemical products, which decreased $1.0 billion or 2.0
percent to $50.2 billion.

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in
March, down six consecutive months, decreased $11.9
billion or 1.5 percent to $759.0 billion, revised from the
previously published 1.4 percent decrease. This
followed a 1.7 percent February decrease.

Transportation equipment, down six consecutive
months, had the largest decrease, $7.0 billion or 1.6
percent to $443.3 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March,
down three consecutive months, decreased $4.5 billion
or 1.3 percent to $330.7 billion, revised from the
previously published 1.1 percent decrease. This
followed a 1.3 percent February decrease.

Primary metals, down six consecutive months, had the
largest decrease, $1.0 billion or 3.5 percent to $29.1
billion.

Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up
following six consecutive monthly decreases, increased
$0.4 billion or 0.2 percent to $194.2 billion. This
followed a 1.2 percent February decrease. Petroleum
and coal products drove the increase, up $0.7 billion or
3.0 percent to $24.9 billion.

By stage of fabrication, March materials and supplies
decreased 1.6 percent in durable goods and 0.7 percent
in nondurable goods. Work in process decreased 1.2
percent in durable goods and increased 1.6 percent in
nondurable goods. Finished goods decreased 1.2 percent
in durable goods and increased 0.3 percent in nondurable
goods.

Note: Estimates of manufacturers' shipments, inventories and orders are subject to survey error and revision. One major component of survey error is nonsampling
error, which includes errors of coverage, response, and nonreporting. Since the survey panel is not a probability sample, estimates of sampling error cannot be
calculated. Further details on survey design, methodology, and data limitations are contained in our most recent annual benchmark publication,
Current Industrial Reports: M3-3(07), "Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders: 2004-2007."