American factories reported a rise in orders in November. This was the highest gain in over four months. Factories reported that orders grew by 1.8% according to the latest report from the Commerce department. There was a strong demand for aircraft, autos and metals. There was a drop in orders for computers and electronics. An increase in consumer spending and businesses replenishing their inventories lead to the surge in factory orders. All signs lead to robust growth in 2012 and the manufacturing sector has held up well despite the slowdown in Europe. Read More
