Durable Goods Orders

Definition: Its official name is Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufacturers'
Shipments and Orders. This is a government index that measures the dollar
volume of orders, shipments, and unfilled orders of durable goods. Durable goods
are new or used items generally with a normal life expectancy of three years or
more. Analysts usually exclude defense and transportation orders because of their
volatility.
Importance: This report gives us information on the strength of demand for US
manufactured durable goods, from both domestic and foreign sources. When the
index is increasing, it suggests demand is strengthening, which will probably result
in rising production and employment. A falling index suggests the opposite.

This is also one of the earliest indicators of both consumer and business demand
for equipment. Increased expenditures on investment goods reduces the prospect
of inflation.

Source: The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce.

Availability: Around the 26th of the month at 8:30am ET. Data for month prior.

Frequency: Monthly.
Revisions: The data are revised monthly for the prior two months to reflect more
complete information. New seasonal adjustment factors are introduced every year.
This revision affects at least three years worth of data. The significance of this
revision can be substantial.
Raw Data: http://www.census.gov/ftp/pub/indicator/www/m3/index.htm

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