— Furniture Today,
HIGH POINT — Softer business in August left U.S. furniture factory orders and shipments for the first eight

months of this year running 1% behind last year’s pace, according to BDO Seidman.

The accounting and consulting firm said that compared with the same month in 2012, August orders were down 7% and shipments were off by 5%.

About 70% of the participants in BDO’s factory survey reported lower orders in August, and 64% had lower orders for the year to date.

“The results for August in our survey were pretty much reflective of what we have heard on the street,” Ken Smith, national director of BDO’s Furniture Industry Services, said in the firm’s monthly Furniture Insights newsletter.

“In addition, what we are continuing to hear is that business is sluggish. Some sectors seem to be doing OK but most feel that business at retail overall is not that strong,” said Smith.