2026 New Orders
The latest update based on U.S. Census Bureau data.
As of March, new orders increased 3.7 percent year-over-year, translating into $23.8 million compared to the same month in 2025, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Growth was driven primarily by durable goods manufacturing, with several industrial and technology-oriented sectors posting solid annual gains.
Computers and electronic products recorded the strongest year-over-year increase among the tracked subsectors, climbing 14.1 percent from March 2025 levels. Primary metals followed with an 11.7 percent increase, while fabricated metal products rose 8.1 percent year-over-year.
Orders for machinery increased 7.6 percent year-over-year, followed closely by electrical equipment, appliances and components, which posted a 7.0 percent rise. Nondurable goods industries also outperformed the overall manufacturing average, advancing 4.6 percent annually, while orders for durable goods industries increased 2.8 percent.
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Furniture and related products recorded the most modest gain, edging up 0.9 percent from March 2025.
Transportation equipment was the only major category to post an annual decline, slipping 7.1 percent year-over-year and weighing on broader manufacturing activity.
Month-over-month changes
On a monthly basis, new orders rose 16.5 percent in March compared to February, increasing by approximately $95.3 million. The monthly rebound was broad-based, with most major sectors posting gains after relatively subdued activity earlier in the quarter.
Transportation equipment recorded the strongest monthly increase, surging 24.2 percent from February levels and representing the largest contributor to March’s overall gains. Durable goods industries followed with an 18.0 percent increase, while nondurable goods industries advanced 14.8 percent month-over-month.
Fabricated metal products, computers and electronic products, as well as machinery each posted a 13.9 percent monthly gain. Electrical equipment, appliances and components rose 12.1 percent during the month, while primary metals advanced 8.4 percent, signaling continued momentum across upstream industrial activity. Furniture and related products recorded the smallest monthly increase, edging up 1.7 percent from February.
—Posted on May 27, 2026
New orders increased 3.5 percent year-over-year in January, rising by $19.3 million compared with the same month in 2025, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Industrial demand remained firm, extending its recent momentum as new orders advanced across most major manufacturing categories, reflecting resilient business investment and steady downstream demand.
On a year-over-year basis, transportation equipment posted the strongest performance, with new orders surging 19.7 percent from January 2025. Computers and electronic products followed with a 9.2 percent gain, while durable goods industries recorded a 9.1 percent increase. Primary metals also saw solid growth, climbing 6.5 percent year-over-year, signaling sustained activity tied to construction, infrastructure and heavy industrial projects.
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Orders for electrical equipment, appliances and components rose 6.5 percent when compared to January 2025. Fabricated metal products increased 4.3 percent, while orders for machinery grew 4.0 percent. Furniture and related products posted a more modest 2.8 percent gain. By contrast, the nondurable goods industries segment was the only major category to decline, with new orders slipping 1.8 percent compared with a year earlier.
Month-over-month changes
On a month-over-month basis, total new orders fell 7.3 percent in January, representing a decline of about $45.5 million from December 2025 levels. Primary metals led monthly gains, jumping nearly 6.0 percent, followed by fabricated metal products, which rose 3.9 percent. Orders for furniture and related products increased 1.2 percent.
The other sectors recorded monthly declines. Orders for machinery fell 3.8 percent, while nondurable goods dropped 3.4 percent. Electrical equipment, appliances and components declined 8.6 percent, while orders for durable goods industries fell 10.8 percent. Transportation equipment decreased 20.1 percent month-over-month, while computers and electronic products posted the sharpest drop, plunging 24.9 percent from the prior month.
—Posted on April 21, 2026
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