New orders and shipments of primary metals decreased by 4.6pc and 3.6pc in the 11 months ended November 2019 compared to the same period a year ago.
According to the latest US Census Bureau advance data on durable goods manufacturers’ shipments and new orders, shipments for primary metals decreased to around $18.4bn in November from around $20.5bn during the same period a year ago. New orders for primary metals also declined to around $19bn from $20.7bn a year ago.
Seasonally adjusted data for fabricated metal products as well as machinery shipments indicated growth in both these sectors during the period under consideration to $34.1bn for fabricated metals and $32.5bn for machinery in November. However new orders for the latter decreased in November to $32.1bn.
Primary metals, fabricated metals, and machinery are part of the overall durable goods shipments and new orders covered by the Census Bureau. In November, shipments of manufactured goods was up by 0.1pc after four months of decline. Total durable goods shipments increased to $251.6bn during the month.
The increase was driven by fabricated metal products business—that has been growing in the past three months—by $0.3bn or 1pc to $34.1bn.