New orders for manufactured durable goods in May decreased $1.4 billion or 0.6 percent to $248.8 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down two consecutive months, followed a 1.0 percent April decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.3 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 1.5 percent. Transportation equipment, also down two consecutive months, led the decrease, $0.9 billion or 1.0 percent to $86.1 billion.

Inventories of manufactured durable goods in May, up eighteen of the last nineteen months, increased $1.1 billion or 0.3 percent to $403.0 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent April increase. Transportation equipment, up five of the last six months, led the increase $0.5 billion or 0.4 percent to $129.0 billion.