Factory orders - 10:15AM

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PRELIMINARY REPORT ON MANUFACTURERS' SHIPMENTS, INVENTORIES, AND ORDERS New orders for manufactured goods in April, up two of the last three months, increased $2.5 billion or 0.7 percent to $344.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 1.9 percent March decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.1 percent. Shipments, down nine consecutive months, decreased $0.8 billion or 0.2 percent to $357.3 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 1.8 percent March decrease. Unfilled orders, down seven consecutive months, decreased $8.9 billion or 1.2 percent to $748.7 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since November 2001-July 2002. This followed a 1.7 percent March decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.01, up from 5.98 in March. Inventories, down eight consecutive months, decreased $5.1 billion or 1.0 percent to $517.6 billion. This was the longest streak of consecutive monthly decreases since March 2003-January 2004 and followed a 1.2 percent March decrease. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.45, down from 1.46 in March. Full report here