Key Economic Indicators
U.S. New Factory Orders
U.S. new factory orders are a leading indicator of manufacturing activity. Data relating to new factory orders are published monthly by the U.S. Commerce Department. Drops in new factory orders result in buildup of inventories and/or declining production. Factory orders are often used to forecast manufacturing production.
New manufacturing orders grew steadily from 1995 to 2004, peaking in July 2004. From January 2004 to July 2004, new manufacturing orders grow by roughly 8.5%. New manufacturing orders declined lightly in September 2004 to $368 billion relative to $370 billion in July 2004.
