New orders for U.S. manufactured goods reached a new record in September 2026 with a 1.8 percent increase compared to the previous month. This rise followed a 0.3 percent increase in August 2026 and exceeded market expectations for a 1.2 percent increase.
Details of the Order Increase
This increase represents the strongest growth in factory orders since April and was primarily due to a 4.6 percent surge in transportation equipment orders. Notably, orders for civilian aircraft and their parts saw a remarkable increase of 28.3 percent. Additionally, orders for military aircraft and their parts also rose by 5.8 percent.
Changes in Other Sectors
In other sectors, orders for vehicles increased by only 0.1 percent, while orders for ships and boats significantly decreased by 9.9 percent. Furthermore, demand for machinery rose by 1.5 percent, computer and electronic products by 0.8 percent, fabricated metal products by 0.5 percent, and primary metals by 0.4 percent.
In contrast, orders for electrical equipment, appliances, and their components showed a decrease of 0.3 percent. Excluding the transportation sector, factory orders increased by 1.3 percent, and if defense orders are excluded, this increase reached 2.0 percent, indicating broader strength in manufacturing demand.
These statistics clearly indicate an improvement in the economic situation of the United States and the strength of domestic production, which could have positive implications for the labor market and economic growth in the future. Analysts believe that this increase in orders could lead to higher employment and improved economic conditions in the manufacturing market. Given the rising demand across various sectors, factories are expected to respond quickly to this trend and increase their capacities.
