Long Term Perspective

New orders for durable goods reveal demand for consumer goods such as cars and home appliances as well as investment equipment such as lathes and computers. Notice the sharp demand for information technology equipment in the past five years.

Short Term Perspective

New orders moderated significantly in the past few months. This signals some moderation in the pace of industrial production in the coming months. Information technology nevertheless remains a strong contender.

Real GDP vs. Final Sales   •   Real Consumer Spending vs. Real Income   •   Debt Burden vs. Savings Rate

Business Fixed Investment vs. Net Cash Flow   •   New Orders   •   Housing Starts vs. Mortgage Rates

Merchandise Exports vs. Trade Weighted Dollar   •   Merchandise Imports vs. Trade Weighted Dollar