The U.S. Census Bureau will publish September 2026 data on manufacturers’ shipments, inventories and orders on Tuesday, November 3, at 10 a.m. ET. The monthly report will update new factory orders and revise details first reported with the advance durable-goods release.

The economic activity covered occurred in September, while the publication date is November 3. Keeping those dates separate matters because the report describes past manufacturing conditions rather than activity on release day.

U.S. Factory Orders Release Schedule

The Census Bureau’s economic indicators calendar lists the full Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories and Orders report for November 3. The scheduled release covers September 2026 and follows the advance durable-goods report.

The factory-orders release is often called the M3 report. Census publishes the full report after collecting additional information and incorporating nondurable-goods industries, giving investors a broader view than the advance release alone.

This preview does not assume the direction or size of the September change. The report had not been published when the article was prepared, so any numerical estimate presented as an official result would be premature.

What the M3 Report Measures

The Census M3 program tracks manufacturers’ new orders, shipments, unfilled orders and inventories. New orders indicate demand placed with factories, while shipments show goods that producers delivered during the period.

Inventories can reveal whether goods are accumulating faster than sales. Unfilled orders, which are most relevant for durable goods, provide a measure of production commitments that have not yet been completed. Together, the categories help distinguish a temporary change in bookings from a broader shift in factory activity.

Durable goods generally have an expected life of at least three years, while nondurable goods include shorter-lived products such as food, chemicals and petroleum products. The full report combines both groups and revises some figures from the advance estimate.

Why Factory Orders Matter for Markets

Investors will watch core capital-goods measures for clues about business investment, but the headline total can move sharply when large transportation orders change. Reading industry details and revisions alongside the total can reduce the risk of overreacting to one volatile category.

Orders also connect with other near-term indicators. The November 4 U.S. trade report will help show how exports and imports affected goods demand, while the November 6 jobs report will provide a broader read on labor conditions.

Interest rates are another part of the backdrop because financing costs can affect equipment purchases and inventory decisions. The latest Federal Reserve rate decision gives markets a policy reference point, but the factory-orders report offers direct evidence from manufacturers.

No original chart is included because the September factory-orders data were not available at publication. A reliable chart requires the official release and its revisions; creating one before November 3 would mean inventing or substituting data.

Elsy Kanana is a financial and cryptocurrency journalist at FusionMarketNews, covering digital assets, blockchain technology, financial markets, and emerging fintech trends. Her reporting focuses on market movements, regulatory developments, and on-chain analytics, delivering clear, data-driven insights to readers worldwide.