New orders for manufactured goods in March increased 1.3% to $391.5 billion. Shipments, up seven consecutive months, increased 2.2%; unfilled orders decreased 0.1%; and inventories, up five of the last six months, increased 0.3% from February levels.
Construction spending was $847.3 billion in March 2010, 0.2% above February 2010 but 12.3% below March 2009.
Sales of new single-family homes were 411,000 in March 2010 (seasonally adjusted), 26.9% above the previous month. Sales were 23.8% above theit level in March 2009.
New orders for manufactured durable goods in March 2010 decreased 1.3% from February, to $176.7 billion. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 2.8% from the prior month, to $136.5 billion. Total shipments rose 1.2%, to $182.2 billion.
Building permits in March 2010 were 685,000, an increase of 7.5% from February and 34.1% above the March 2009 estimate. Housing starts rose 1.6% from the prior month, to 626,000. This was 20.2% above the March 2009 level.
