Durable (Not So) Goods

I apologize in advance for the title... it's a Friday and I'm in a weird mood. WSJ details:

Demand for U.S. manufactured durable goods tumbled more than expected in August, held back by steep drops in airplanes and cars.

Durable-goods orders declined by 1.3% to a seasonally adjusted $191.17 billion, the Commerce Department said Friday. This is the biggest drop since August 2009.

Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires expected a 1.0% decline. Friday's report was mixed, as there were gains in machinery, computers and fabricated metal products. Also, a barometer of capital spending by businesses rose; orders for nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft increased by 4.1%.

Still, overall transportation equipment orders dropped 10.3% in August -- restrained by a 40.3% decline in orders for nondefense aircraft and parts. Motor vehicles and parts were also down, falling 4.4%.

August was not as bad as the headline figure would indicate... without non-defense aircraft, durable goods were up 0.6% and without all transportation, durable goods were up 2%.

HOWEVER, the overall trend is ugly with the three month change in durable goods new orders down -0.8% and only two categories showing growth (electronics [thanks Apple!] and fabricated metals).



Source: Census