Factory Orders Rise 1.8%

U.S. factory orders rose in February for the first time in seven months, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

The 1.8% increase followed a revised 3.5% drop in January that was bigger than the 1.9% decline originally reported.

Economists had forecast a 3.5% increase for February, Bloomberg reported.

Durable goods orders, which make up about half of factory orders, rose 3.5%. Excluding transportation orders, which tend to be volatile, orders rose 1.6%.

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