U.S. factory orders increase 2.6% in January

U.S. factory orders rose 2.6% in January as manufacturers continued to lead the way for the U.S. economic recovery Economists polled by Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal had forecast a 2.3% gain. Orders for durable goods made to last at least three years climbed an unrevised 3.4% last month. Orders for nondurable goods such as clothing and groceries rose a slower 1.9%.

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