WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. factory orders had their best showing since March, growing 2.4 percent in December, the Commerce Department reported Friday.
December's showing was stronger than the 1.8 percent gain many economists had forecast.
Factory orders rose 1.2 percent in November, revised upward from 0.9 percent, the department said.
Orders for steel and machinery were largely responsible for the rise, the department said. Steel and other primary metals rose 5.4 percent. Machinery rose 5.2 percent.
Excluding defense goods, factory orders rose by 3.1 percent in December, the department said. Taking out transportation, orders climbed by 2.2 percent.
Durable-goods orders climbed 2.9 percent in December, below last week's 3.1 percent government estimate. Orders for non-durables rose 1.8 percent.
For all of 2006, factory orders rose by 5.3 percent, down from 8.1 percent in 2005. The yearly figure was the smallest increase since 2003's 0.9 percent rise.
