Orders to U.S. factories rose 1.4 percent in September, the strongest gain in four months. A key category that tracks business investment plans jumped by the largest amount in more than a year.
The Commerce Department says result follows a 1.2 percent advance in August. The September increase was paced by a 30.8 percent jump in demand for commercial aircraft, which swings widely from month to month. The category that serves as a proxy for business investment plans rose 1.7 percent in August, the best showing since a 2.7 percent surge in July 2016.
Economists believe manufacturing is on a sustained rebound that will provide support for the overall economy after a prolonged stretch of weakness.
