Factory orders rose in April

The increase fell short of forecasts. Economists predicted growth of 0.9 percent during the month.

In April, new orders reached $344.4 billion. As of April, new orders were up for two of the past three months.

In March, orders fell 1.9 percent, the bureau said, sharply revising their previous estimate of a 0.9 percent decline.

In the latest month, durable goods orders rose -- tracking orders for items meant to last more than three years -- rose 1.7 percent $160.9 billion, after dropping 2.2 percent in March. Non-durable goods orders fell 0.1 percent to $183.5 billion.

Factory shipments for durable goods, down for nine consecutive months, fell 0.4 percent to $173.8 billion, marking the longest streak of consecutive declines since 1992. Shipments of non-durable goods also fell, down 0.1 percent to $183.5, led by a decrease in chemical products shipments, which fell 0.8 percent.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.