So much for a fast start to the recover in 2012. A week after announcing the worst durable-goods orders report in three years, the Commerce Department’s report on factory orders and shipments in January show the worst outcome in sixteen months: New orders for manufactured goods in January, down following two consecutive monthly increases, decreased $4.8 billion or 1.0 percent to $462.6 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 1.4 percent December increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.3 percent. Shipments, up eight consecutive months, increased $4.1 billion or 0.9 percent to $463.6 billion. This followed a...
