As of May, new orders rose by 7.9 percent year-over-year, or approximately $47.5 million, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. The transportation equipment sector once again led the expansion, surging by 54.4 percent compared to May 2024. Durable goods industries also posted a significant increase, rising 17.5 percent from the previous year.
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Gains were seen across several other categories as well. Orders for computers and electronic products ticked up by 3.1 percent year-over-year, while the machinery sector posted a 2.7 percent increase. Electrical equipment, appliances and components grew modestly, up 1.9 percent, and fabricated metal products remained nearly flat but positive.
In contrast, primary metals declined slightly, down 1.6 percent from May 2024. Nondurable goods industries also slipped, decreasing by 1.1 percent year-over-year. The furniture and related products segment dipped by 1.0 percent.
Month-over-month growth
Between April and May, new orders jumped by 9.4 percent, or $55.4 million. Transportation equipment posted the strongest growth, climbing 55.1 percent in a single month. Orders for durable goods industries grew by 18.0 percent, while computers and electronic products rose by 2.9 percent.
Fabricated metal products saw a 2.1 percent monthly increase, while nondurable goods industries rose slightly, posting a 1.0 percent gain compared to April.
Primary metals remained essentially flat with a slight 0.1 percent decline. Electrical equipment, appliances and components dipped marginally, down 0.5 percent. Meanwhile, furniture and related products edged down 0.9 percent month-over-month, while the machinery sector also recorded a modest decline of 1.2 percent.
—Posted on July 25, 2025
As of April, new orders edged up by 0.6 percent year-over-year, or $3.6 million, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The most notable growth was seen in the Transportation Equipment sector, which posted a 5.5 percent annual increase. The Electrical Equipment, Appliances and Components segment also expanded, rising 4.9 percent compared to April 2024, while the Furniture and Related Products sector recorded a 3.6 percent year-over-year gain.
Other sectors also posted steady growth. Orders for Durable Goods Industries advanced by 2.6 percent, while the Computers and Electronic Products segment rose by 2.2 percent. The Machinery and Fabricated Metal Products sectors grew by 2.0 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Primary Metals recorded a slight dip, down 0.4 percent year-over-year. The only notable decline came from Nondurable Goods Industries, which slipped by 1.3 percent compared to April 2024.
Month-over-month growth
Between March and April, new orders decreased by 8.9 percent, or $58.1 million. The most substantial monthly decline occurred in the Transportation Equipment sector, where orders dropped 29.7 percent. The Computers and Electronic Products segment also posted a sharp contraction of 19.9 percent, while Durable Goods Industries saw orders retreat by 14.7 percent.
Orders for Electrical Equipment, Appliances and Components were down 7.9 percent month-over-month, while Fabricated Metal Products decreased by 3.9 percent. The Primary Metals sector also saw a 3.5 percent decline, and orders for Machinery decreased by 3.3 percent from the previous month.
At the same time, orders for Nondurable Goods Industries recorded a slight month-over-month decrease of 2.5 percent, while the Furniture and Related Products segment declined by 0.8 percent during the same period.
—Posted on June 27, 2025
As of March, manufacturers’ new orders rose by an average of 5.8 percent year-over-year, or $35.5 million, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The most substantial growth was recorded in the transportation equipment sector, which surged by 27.0 percent. This was followed by the durable goods industries segment, which posted a 10.9 percent increase, while the electrical equipment, appliances and components segment rounded up the top three with a 10.6 percent increase.
The primary metals category saw orders climb 5.4 percent, while the computers and electronic products segment recorded a 4.1 percent uptick. The fabricated metal products sector also expanded, with a 2.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The machinery and nondurable goods industries sectors registered a more modest gain of 0.7 percent.
Most surveyed sectors reported year-over-year growth. The only decline came from the furniture and related products segment, which slipped 0.3 percent.
Month-over-month growth
Between February and March, new orders jumped by 18.1 percent, or $99.3 million. The largest monthly increase occurred in the transportation equipment sector, where orders soared by 52.9 percent. The durable goods industries also posted a notable 25.8 percent gain, while the computers and electronic products segment grew by 25.2 percent.
Demand remained strong in the electrical equipment, appliances and components segment, which rose by 12.9 percent, while fabricated metal products climbed 11.5 percent. Machinery orders were up 11.4 percent for the month.
The nondurable goods industries contributed to the overall growth as well, with a 10.6 percent increase. Meanwhile, orders for primary metals grew by 7.1 percent, and the furniture and related products segment rose by 3.9 percent.
—Posted on May 28, 2025
As of February, new orders declined by an average of 0.3 percent year-over-year, totaling $1.9 million, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Nearly all industries posted losses, while only four reported gains.
The transportation equipment sector led the way with a 4.3 percent increase compared to February 2024. Close behind, the computers and electronic products segment registered a 2.3 percent gain. Orders in the electrical equipment, appliances and components category expanded by 1.2 percent, while the durable goods industries reported a more modest rise of 0.5 percent.
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Meanwhile, several industries saw notable declines. The furniture and related products sector experienced the steepest year-over-year drop, with orders falling 3.1 percent. The machinery industry followed, posting a 2.9 percent decrease. Orders in the fabricated metal products sector were down 1.4 percent, while the nondurable goods industries segment recorded a 1.1 percent decline. The primary metals segment saw a slight contraction of 0.1 percent.
Month-over-month growth
From January to February this year, new orders declined by 0.4 percent, amounting to $2.2 million. Despite the overall decrease, five sectors showed positive momentum. The transportation equipment sector led monthly growth with a 7.1 percent surge. The furniture and related products industry bounced back with a 5 percent increase. The electrical equipment, appliances and components segment grew 2.7 percent, followed by a 2.4 percent rise in the durable goods industries. The computers and electronic products sector also posted a 1.8 percent gain.
On the other hand, the nondurable goods industries registered the sharpest monthly decline, with orders falling 2.9 percent. The machinery sector slipped 0.9 percent, followed by a 0.5 percent drop in the fabricated metal products segment. The primary metals industry saw a smaller decrease of 0.4 percent.
—Posted on April 28, 2025
As of January, new orders increased by an average of 3.5 percent, or $18.6 million, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The most significant rise compared to January 2024 occurred in the transportation equipment sector, which saw a 10.5 percent surge. The durable goods industries sector posted a 4.3 percent gain, while the computers and electronic products segment rose by 3.4 percent. Orders in the nondurable goods industries sector grew by 2.8 percent, and primary metals followed with a 2.6 percent increase.
Year-over-year, nearly all surveyed manufacturing industries showed growth, except for the furniture and related products sector, which saw a slight decline of 0.7 percent. In contrast, the machinery sector rose by 1.0 percent, and the fabricated metal products segment saw a 1.6 percent increase.
Month-over-month growth
On a month-over-month basis, new orders fell by an average of 5.2 percent, or $30.6 million as of January. Unlike the yearly trend, only four sectors experienced positive growth. Primary metals saw a 10.4 percent increase, orders for fabricated metal products grew by 6.4 percent, while furniture and related products increased by 4.3 percent. The machinery sector experienced a small gain of 0.7 percent.
The largest drop occurred in the computers and electronic products segment, which plummeted by 25.5 percent. Orders for the transportation equipment sector fell by 19.5 percent, durable goods industries saw an 8.8 percent decrease and the electrical equipment, appliances and components sector dropped by 5.6 percent. Nondurable goods industries also recorded a 1.8 percent decline.
—Posted on March 25, 2025