Factory orders surge in December

(Washington-AP) -- American manufacturing is on a roll. The Commerce Department says new orders to factories shot up 3.3 per cent in December for the biggest increase in seven years. The advance was

Thursday, February 3rd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Washington-AP) -- American manufacturing is on a roll. The Commerce Department says new orders to factories shot up 3.3 per cent in December for the biggest increase in seven years. The advance was led by an increase in demand airplanes and electronic equipment.

The December surge helped make 1999 the strongest year for manufacturing since 1995. Orders for all of last year jumped six per cent, compared with an advance of 2.1 per cent in 1998.