Summary. New orders for manufactured goods in March, down two of the last three months, decreased $19.5 billion or 4.0 percent to $467.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 1.9 percent February increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 2.0 percent. Shipments, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $5.0 billion or 1.0 percent to $481.8 billion. This followed a 0.4 percent February increase. Unfilled orders, down two of the last three months, decreased $7.1 billion or 0.7 percent to $990.1 billion. This followed a 0.7 percent February increase. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.20, down from 6.28 in February. Inventories, up four consecutive months, increased $0.2 billion to $620.2 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992, and followed a 0.2 percent February increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.29, up from 1.27 in  New Orders. New orders for manufactured durable goods in March, down two of the last three months, decreased $13.4 billion or 5.8 percent to $216.0 billion, revised from the previously published 5.7 percent decrease. This followed a 4.3 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, also down two of the last three months, led the decrease, down $11.1 billion or 15.1 percent to $62.5 billion. New orders for manufactured nondurable goods decreased $6.1 billion or 2.4 percent to $251.3 billion. Shipments. Shipments of manufactured durable goods in March, up six of the last seven months, increased $1.1 billion or 0.5 percent to $230.4 billion, revised from the previously published 0.4 percent increase. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis, and followed a 0.9 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, up four of the last five months, drove the increase, up $1.6 billion or 2.3 percent to $67.8 billion. Shipments of manufactured nondurable goods, down two consecutive months, decreased $6.1 billion or 2.4 percent to $251.3 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent February decrease. Petroleum and coal products, down following two consecutive monthly increases, led the decrease, down $5.4 billion or 7.1 percent to $70.5 billion. Unfilled Orders. Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in March, down two of the last three months, decreased $7.1 billion or 0.7 percent to $990.1 billion, revised from the previously published 0.6 percent decrease. This followed a 0.7 percent February increase. Transportation equipment, also down two of the last three months, led the decrease, down $5.4 billion or 0.9 percent to $585.8 billion. Inventories. Inventories of manufactured durable goods in March, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $0.4 billion or 0.1 percent to $376.2 billion, revised from the previously published 0.1 percent increase. This followed a 0.3 percent February increase. Primary metals, down three consecutive months, drove the decrease, down $0.5 billion or 1.6 percent to $33.9 billion. Inventories of manufactured nondurable goods, up three of the last four months, increased $0.6 billion or 0.2 percent to $244.0 billion. This followed a slight February decrease. Chemical products, up five consecutive months, led the increase, up $0.3 billion or 0.4 percent to $75.2 billion. By stage of fabrication, March materials and supplies decreased 0.4 percent in durable goods and increased 0.7 percent in nondurable goods. Work in process increased 0.5 percent in durable goods and 0.4 percent in nondurable goods. Finished goods decreased 0.6 percent in durable goods and 0.2 percent in nondurable goods.