Total Business Inventories, Sales and Ratio (Graph)

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The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers' shipments for May, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $966.1 billion, down 0.1 percent from April 2009 and down 17.8 percent from May 2008.

Manufacturers' and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,368.1 billion, down 1.0 percent from April 2009 and down 8.0 percent from May 2008.

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of May was 1.42. The May 2008 ratio was 1.27.



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Durable Goods, New Orders, Shipments, Inventories

Minimal reaction in the market immediately after report.

New Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods in March decreased $1.3 billion or 0.8 percent to $161.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This was the seventh decrease in the last eight months and followed a 2.1 percent February increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.6 percent. Excluding defense, new orders also decreased 0.6 percent.

Shipments

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, down eight consecutive months, decreased $3.0 billion or 1.7 percent to $175.0 billion. This followed a 0.8 percent February decrease.

Unfilled Orders

Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, down six consecutive months, decreased $11.2 billion or 1.4 percent to $760.3 billion. This followed a 1.6 percent February decrease.

Inventories

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, down three consecutive months, decreased $3.7 billion or 1.1 percent to $331.6 billion. This followed a 1.3 percent February decrease.

Capital Goods Industries

Nondefense

Nondefense new orders for capital goods in March increased $1.0 billion or 1.9 percent to $52.0 billion.

Defense

Defense new orders for capital goods in March decreased $1.4 billion or 14.4 percent to $8.6 billion.

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Inventories, Inventory to Sales Ratio (Charts)

Inventories being reduced.

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Inventory to sales ratio peaking? Similar to 2001 recession?

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