Orders for Factory Goods Posted Surprising Increase in April

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WASHINGTON -- Orders for manufactured goods posted a surprisingly strong increase in April as demand rose in a number of areas, including heavy machinery, iron and steel.

The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that orders were up 1.1 percent in April following a 1.5 percent increase in March. Those gains followed big declines in January and February that raised concerns about how much pain manufacturing industries would feel from the severe economic slowdown hitting housing and the financial sector.

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Orders for Factory Goods Posted Surprising Increase in April

Orders in the battered auto industry and commercial aircraft sector did fall sharply in April, but other areas showed strength catching analy...

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