US Factory New Orders Hold Steady in February, Ex-Transportation Orders Higher

New orders for US factory goods were roughly flat in February, compared with expectations for a 0.2% decrease in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET following a flat reading in the previous month.Excluding a 5.3% drop in transportation orders, new orders would have been up 1.2% after a 0.5% gain in January, well above the expectations for a 0.4% gain.Durable goods new orders were revised up to a 1.3% decline from the advance estimate of a 1.4% decline and follows a 0.4% decrease in January.Nondurable goods new orders increased by 1.5% after a 0.5% increase in the previous month.Factory unfilled orders were up 0.1%, as were factory inventories.Factory shipments rose by 1.4% and when combined with already-published advance estimates for retail and wholesale sales, shows business sales on pace for a 1.7% gain in the month.

-- New orders for US factory goods were roughly flat in February, compared with expectations for a 0.2% decrease in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET following a flat reading in the previous month.

Excluding a 5.3% drop in transportation orders, new orders would have been up 1.2% after a 0.5% gain in January, well above the expectations for a 0.4% gain.

Durable goods new orders were revised up to a 1.3% decline from the advance estimate of a 1.4% decline and follows a 0.4% decrease in January.

Nondurable goods new orders increased by 1.5% after a 0.5% increase in the previous month.

Factory unfilled orders were up 0.1%, as were factory inventories.

Factory shipments rose by 1.4% and when combined with already-published advance estimates for retail and wholesale sales, shows business sales on pace for a 1.7% gain in the month.