New orders for manufactured durable goods in February 2013 increased 5.7 percent, to $232.1 billion. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.5 percent. Overall shipments increased 1.0 percent, and capital goods shipments rose 0.7 percent. Unfilled orders increased 0.9 percent, and inventories rose 0.4 percent in February.
Building permits in February 2013 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 946,000, up 4.6 percent from the revised January rate and up 33.8 percent from February 2012. Housing starts in February 2013 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 917,000, up 0.8 percent from the revised January estimate and up 27.7 percent from February 2012.
January 2013 business inventories were $1,642.2 billion, up 1.0 percent from December and up 5.6 percent from January 2012. Sales in January 2013 were $1,268.8 billion, down 0.3 percent from the previous month but up 2.9 percent from one year earlier.
February 2013 retail and food services sales were $421.4 billion, an increase of 1.1 percent from the previous month and an increase of 4.6 percent from February 2012. Excluding autos, retail and food services sales in February 2013 were $342.9 billion, up 1.0 percent from January and up 3.9 percent from February 2012.
January 2013 wholesale inventories were $504.4 billion, up 1.2 percent from the revised December level and up 6.5 percent from one year earlier. Sales were $415.4 billion, down 0.8 percent from the revised December level but up 3.0 percent from January 2012.
