Factory Orders Take Biggest Jump Since 2006

Factory orders jumped 3.1% in January, the biggest gain in almost four and a half years, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The increase — the biggest since September 2006 — followed a 1.4% increase in December that was higher than the 0.2% originally reported.

The reading was higher than economists’ forecasts of a 2% increase, Bloomberg reported.

Durable goods orders, which make up just over half of all orders, rose 3.2%.

Capital goods orders including excluding aircraft and military orders, a measure of future business investment, fell 6.2%.

The trucking industry relies on factory orders and shipments for much of its business.