September Durable Goods Orders Rise 1.8% as Aircraft Orders Jump
Durable goods orders rose 1.8% to $345.4 billion in September, Census said Oct. 27. Core capital goods orders rose 0.5% and their shipments rose 1.2%.
Why it matters
- New orders for U.S. durable goods rose $6.3 billion, or 1.8%, to $345.4 billion in September, the Census Bureau said Tuesday, Oct. 27. August was revised to a 0.1% gain from a 0.1% drop.
- Transportation equipment led, up 4.6%, as nondefense aircraft orders jumped 28.4%. Excluding transportation, orders rose 0.5%; excluding defense, they rose 2.2%.
- Nondefense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, often called core capital goods, rose 0.5% to $88.0 billion. Shipments of those goods rose 1.2%, the day the Fed's Oct. 27–28 meeting begins.
Data Brief: a summary of published data, with our notes on what it shows.
New orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods rose 1.8% in September to $345.4 billion, the Census Bureau said Tuesday, Oct. 27, in its advance report. Orders have risen in six of the last seven months. August was revised to a 0.1% increase, from the 0.1% decline shown in the Oct. 2 full report.
Transportation equipment drove the gain, up $5.2 billion, or 4.6%, to $119.8 billion, Census said. Orders outside transportation rose more slowly.
What did the September durable goods report show?
Aircraft did most of the lifting. Nondefense aircraft and parts orders rose 28.4% to $25.3 billion, according to Census Table 1. Motor vehicles and parts orders rose 0.3%. Excluding transportation, orders rose 0.5% after a 0.3% gain in August. Excluding defense, orders rose 2.2%.
Shipments of durable goods rose 0.9% to $336.8 billion, after a 0.2% decline in August. Unfilled orders rose 0.8% to $1,623.6 billion, up in 26 of the last 27 months. Inventories rose 0.3% to $610.0 billion, the 12th straight monthly increase.
| Durable goods, seasonally adjusted | September | August (revised) | September level |
|---|---|---|---|
| New orders, total | +1.8% | +0.1% | $345.4 billion |
| Excluding transportation | +0.5% | +0.3% | $225.6 billion |
| Excluding defense | +2.2% | +0.3% | $321.1 billion |
| Transportation equipment | +4.6% | -0.3% | $119.8 billion |
| Nondefense aircraft and parts | +28.4% | +0.3% | $25.3 billion |
| Core capital goods orders | +0.5% | +1.6% | $88.0 billion |
| Core capital goods shipments | +1.2% | +0.6% | $86.1 billion |
| Shipments, total | +0.9% | -0.2% | $336.8 billion |
Source: Census Bureau advance durable goods report, Table 1, Oct. 27. Core capital goods are nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft. Figures are not adjusted for inflation.
What happened to core capital goods orders?
Core capital goods orders rose 0.5% to $88.0 billion in September, after a 1.6% gain in August, Census data show. Shipments of the same goods rose 1.2% to $86.1 billion. Census revised August core shipments to a 0.6% gain, from 0.5% in the Oct. 2 full report.
The broader nondefense capital goods category, which includes aircraft, rose 6.2% to $107.8 billion. Defense capital goods orders fell 1.8% to $20.8 billion.
The report's dollar figures are not adjusted for price changes, Census said, so part of any gain can reflect higher prices rather than more goods. Our briefs on September producer prices and September import prices cover this month's price data.
What does the durable goods report mean for the Fed?
It is one of the last data releases before the Fed's decision. The FOMC meeting begins today, and the statement is due at 2:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 28, according to the Fed's calendar. Our FOMC meeting schedule for 2026 and 2027 lists every meeting date and decision. For Treasury market moves around the meeting, see the 10-year Treasury yield today.
Census will publish revised figures, plus nondurable goods data, in its full report on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 10:00 a.m. EST. The October advance durable goods report is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 8:30 a.m. EST.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Report on Durable Goods Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories and Orders, September 2026 (Oct. 27, 2026), and release page
- U.S. Census Bureau, Full Report on Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories and Orders, August 2026 (Oct. 2, 2026)
- Federal Reserve, Calendar, October 2026 and Meeting calendars and information
