Overseas Demand is Likely Behind Factor Orders

Orders to factories for big ticket manufactured goods jumped unexpectedly in December, good news amid signs that the U.S. economy may be tipping toward a recession. I don't think this is going to help though. Analysts said the 5.2 percent growth in orders, while potentially boosting industrial output in coming months, likely came from overseas demand and that domestic growth faced continuing threats from tight credit and mortgage markets that have forced consumers to retrench.