New orders for manufactured goods in the United States stood at $621.6 billion in November, rising 2.7% month on month, data from the US Census Bureau showed on Thursday. Shipments edged down 0.1% or $800 million compared to October, landing at $606.3 billion, while unfilled orders increased 1.4% or $20.2 billion to $1.5 trillion. Inventories amounted to $948.4 billion, going up 0.1% or $1.4 billion on a monthly basis. The inventories-to-shipments ratio stood at 1.56, remaining at the same level as in October. (full story)

The factory orders report is good news but much of the gain disappears when you strip out transportation, which is volatile. The downgrade to November non-defense cap goods orders ex air is a mild disappointment. Background: The Full Report on Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders—commonly known as the Factory Orders report—is a comprehensive monthly release from the U.S. Census Bureau. It serves as a vital barometer for the health of the U.S. industrial sector, tracking the dollar value of new purchase orders placed with domestic manufacturers. Unlike the earlier "Advance" Durable Goods report, which only ... (full story)