New orders for manufactured
durable goods in July 2012 increased 4.2 percent to $230.7 billion. Excluding
transportation, new orders fell 0.4 percent. Overall shipments rose 2.6
percent. Capital goods shipments increased 0.5 percent. Unfilled orders rose 0.8
percent and inventories grew 0.7 percent.
Sales of new single-family houses
in July were 372,000 at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, up 3.6 percent from
June’s revised level, and up 25.3 percent from July 2011.
Building permits in July 2012 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 812,000, up 6.8 percent from the revised June rate, and up 29.5 percent from July 2011. Housing starts in July 2012 were at a seasonally adjusted rate of 746,000, down 1.1 percent from June’s revised estimate, but up 21.5 percent from July 2011.
June 2012 business inventories were $1,580.3 billion, up 0.1 percent from May and up 5.0 percent from June 2011. Sales were $1,229.7 billion, down 1.1 percent from May but up 3.0 percent from June 2011.
July 2012 retail and food services sales were $403.9 billion, up 0.8 percent from the previous month and up 4.1 percent from one year earlier. Excluding autos, retail and food services sales in July were $330.2 billion, up 0.8 percent from June and up 3.2 percent from July 2011.
