US factory orders increase slightly in August
SPY•US factory orders rose 0.1% in August after a downwardly revised 0.8% increase in July, and were up 6.8% from a year earlier. Orders for civilian aircraft and parts fell 4.3%, while non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft rose 1.6%.
1. Orders edge higher
New orders for US factory goods rose 0.1% in August, the Census Bureau said, matching economists’ forecasts. July’s increase was revised down to 0.8% from 0.9%.
2. Mixed industry results
Orders for civilian aircraft and parts dropped 4.3%. Machinery orders rose 1.1%, as did orders for electrical equipment, appliances and components; motor vehicle bodies, parts and trailers increased 0.8%. Computer and electronic products orders were unchanged for the month but rose 14.7% year over year.
3. Capital goods and risks
Orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, a measure of business equipment spending plans, rose 1.6% in August. Shipments of these core capital goods increased 0.5%, revised from an initially estimated 0.6%. The article cited supply-chain disruptions, higher energy prices and tariffs as headwinds, alongside manufacturing support from AI infrastructure spending and inventory rebuilding.
