U.S. factory orders higher 1.1% in December (MarketWatch) (03-02-2012)

WASHINGTON - Factory orders rose 1.1% in December according to the Commerce Department while economists had expected a 1.4% rise.

Unfilled orders rose 1.4% in December, the largest gain since March 2008. Inventories increased a slim 0.1%. Durable goods rose 3.0% in December, unrevised from the initial estimate last week. Nondurable goods orders fell 0.4% in the month.

Orders for capital goods excluding aircraft and defense rose 3.1% in December, and were up 10% in the past year. Shipments of core capital equipment, a key component of investment in the gross domestic product calculations, rose 3.1% in December, and were up 9.1% compared with a year earlier.

Source: MarketWatch