Factory orders rose in January

New orders were up by 1.7 percent, a $6.2 billion increase to $378.4 billion, the bureau said Thursday.

The rise was in line with a 1.6 percent rise that had been forecast by economists.

After a 1.8 percent increase in December, durable goods orders rose 2.6 percent to $174.9 billion. Non-durable goods orders rose 0.9 percent to $203.5 billion.

In January, unfilled orders rose for the first time in 16 months, rising 0.1 percent to $717.8 billion, ending the longest streak of declines since 1992.

Shipments, after four months of increases, dropped 0.4 percent to $180.2 billion, the bureau said.

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