U.S. factory orders beat estimates as AI build-out, consumer spending drive activity

New orders for U.S. factory goods increased more than expected in September, boosted by bookings for aircraft and a range of other goods, government data showed on Tuesday.

Factory orders rose 1.8 per cent after an upwardly revised 0.3-per-cent gain in August, the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast orders surging 1.2 per cent after a previously reported 0.1 per cent gain in August.

Orders advanced 7.2 per cent on a year-over-year basis in September.

An artificial intelligence infrastructure build-out and strong consumer spending are anchoring manufacturing, which accounts for about 9.4 per cent of the economy.

But economists have cautioned that rising interest rates and declining inflation-adjusted household income would hamper manufacturing activity next year, especially the segments not exposed to the AI spending frenzy.

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Though an Institute for Supply Management survey on Monday showed production at factories booming in October, sentiment among manufacturers continued to deteriorate, with pricing volatility, longer lead times, tariffs and the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran cited as major drags.

Factory orders in September were driven by 28.3 per cent jump in bookings for the volatile civilian aircraft and parts component. Orders for motor vehicle bodies, parts and trailers edged up 0.1 per cent. Machinery orders soared 1.5 per cent. Orders for computers and electronic products rose 0.8 per cent, and vaulted 14.9 per cent year over year.

Orders for electrical equipment, appliances and components fell 0.3 per cent. The Census Bureau also reported that orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, which are seen as a measure of business spending plans on equipment, increased 0.6 per cent in September instead of 0.5 per cent as reported last month.

Shipments of these so-called core capital goods shot up 1.2 per cent as initially estimated.