“Manufacturing was the nation’s leading investor in capital expenditures in 2015 with $239.6 billion spent for structures and equipment, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey. Businesses invested $1,638.6 billion in new and used buildings, structures, machinery and equipment (including computer software), up $40.7 billion (2.5 percent) from 2014. This is the fourth consecutive year total spending has increased. Other top investors included mining, finance and insurance, real estate and rental and leasing, information, and utilities. The Annual Capital Expenditures Survey provides a relevant, timely and accurate measure on all nonfarm business expenditures during the year. These estimates are based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) at the economic sector (two-digit NAICS) level, as well as for industries within those sectors at the NAICS three-digit and selected four-digit levels. Expenditures also include capitalized leasehold improvements and capitalized interest charges on loans used to finance investments.

Highlights: Expenditures for new and used structures totaled $645.7 billion in 2015. Spending on new and used equipment totaled $992.9 billion, up $38.6 billion (4.0 percent) from 2014. The finance and insurance sector invested $164.5 billion in capital goods in 2015, an increase of $11.3 billion (7.3 percent) from 2014. Spending in the nondepository credit intermediation industry (e.g., sales and lease financing, and credit card issuing) totaled $104.5 billion, up $6.5 billion (6.7 percent) from 2014, and accounted for 63.5 percent of the sector’s total spending. The mining sector invested $174.7 billion in capital goods in 2015, a decrease of $56.1 billion (24.3 percent) from 2014. Investment spending in the oil and gas extraction industry totaled $149.7 billion, down $48.4 billion (24.5 percent) from 2014, and accounted for 85.7 percent of the sector’s total spending. These statistics provide important input for federal agencies constructing composite national economic measures, including the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ estimates of private-fixed investments, a major component of gross domestic product; the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ estimates of capital stocks for productivity analysis; and the Federal Reserve Board’s flow of funds accounts.”