U.S. manufacturers' shipments of portable
appliances continued on the downside last month, except for an upturn in dollar value for air treatment. Following 8 months of declines, the
comfort machines rose 13.3 percent in dollars to U.S. $12,164,016. This contrasted with a drop of 19.0 percent to 176,410 units, the ninth
consecutive negative month.
For the year to date, air treatment fell 15.3 percent in dollars to $60,199,508 and 20.6 percent to 1,957,100 units, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers reported.
Portable machines for food processing and cooking dipped 11.5 percent in dollars in May to $143,962,405 and 3.3 percent to 8,079,376 units. Through 5 months, declines were 10.6 percent in dollars to $637,981,768 and 3.3 percent to 33,090,196 units.
