US Factory Orders Decline in December

In a recent report by the US Census Bureau, it was revealed that factory orders in the United States experienced a 0.9% decrease, amounting to $578.5 billion in December. This decline marks a significant shift from the previous month's figures.

Durable Goods and Unfilled Orders

New orders for manufactured durable goods saw a more pronounced decrease, dropping by 2.2% to $276.1 billion. Additionally, unfilled orders slightly decreased by 0.5% to $1.4 billion, indicating a potential slowdown in manufacturing demand.

Shipments and Inventories on the Rise

Despite the downturn in orders, shipments experienced a 0.6% increase to $589.7 billion, and inventories rose by 0.4% to $863.2 billion. The inventories-to-shipments ratio stood at 1.46 in December, slightly lower than November's 1.47, suggesting a tight balance between supply and demand.