US factory orders slide 0.5 per cent in May, ending 3 months of gains

WASHINGTON – Orders to U.S. factories fell in May, ending three months of gains.

The Commerce Department reports that orders fell 0.5 per cent, pulled down by falling demand for military and transportation equipment. That followed increases of 0.8 per cent in April, 1.5 per cent in March and 1.7 per cent in February.

Excluding military hardware, factory orders rose 0.2 per cent in May from April. Orders for transportation equipment fell 2.9 per cent.

Orders for durable goods, meant to last six months or more, fell 0.9 per cent in May. Orders for nondurable goods slipped 0.2 per cent.

Over the past year, factory orders were up 2.5 per cent.

U.S. factories have been busy. The Institute for Supply Management reported Tuesday that manufacturing expanded in June for the 13th straight month, though the pace of growth slowed from May.