Global| Dec 05 2007U.S. Factory Inventory Gain Moderate
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
Factory inventories ticked up 0.1% during October following a 0.6% surge in September. The three month in manufacturers' inventories remained stable at 2.3% (AR) but that was much more moderate than in prior years. Excluding the [...]
Factory inventories ticked up 0.1% during October following a 0.6% surge in September. The three month in manufacturers' inventories remained stable at 2.3% (AR) but that was much more moderate than in prior years.
Excluding the volatile transportation sector, inventories were unchanged also after a 0.6% September increase. Three month accumulation at a 2.1% also is down from 7.1% for all of last year. The slowdown continued in inventories of computers & electronic products to a three month growth rate of 4.4% versus 10.4% last year and inventories of industrial machinery rose 1.9% following a 22.8% jump last year. Electrical equipment inventories have been falling since mid-year after 25.2% growth in 2006. 
Factory shipments surged 1.0% in October but weakness during prior months left three month growth at -2.3% (AR). Much of that weakness has been due to the automotive and aircraft industries. Excluding transportation altogether, October shipments rose 1.1% and the three month growth rate was somewhat reduced at 3.7% versus 5.0% growth last year.
Total factory orders continue to hold little promise for a pickup in factory sector activity. A 0.5% October gain followed a like rise in September but three month growth fell to -10.2% (AR). The 0.4% October decline in durable goods orders in the advance report was little revised.
Unfilled orders rose 1.0%, about the same as in prior months. Excluding, the transportation industries unfilled orders rose 0.8% and the three month growth rate was double digit with a 10.4% rise.
| Factory Survey (NAICS) | October | September | Y/Y | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inventories | 0.1% | 0.6% | 2.2% | 6.4% | 8.9% | 7.7% |
| New Orders | 0.5% | 0.3% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 11.6% | 6.9% |
| Shipments | 1.0% | 0.1% | 4.7% | 4.3% | 10.3% | 6.9% |
| Unfilled Orders | 1.0% | 1.1% | 17.9% | 20.0% | 15.0% | 3.9% |
Tom Moeller
AuthorMore in Author Profile »Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio. Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984. He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C. In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists. Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.
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