US Manufacturing Orders Fell in December, Says Commerce Department, Despite Rise in Shipments

An employee works at the Kirsh Foundry in Beaver Dam, Wis., on April 12, 2018. Timothy Aeppel/Reuters File Photo

Manufacturing orders for U.S.-made goods fell slightly more than expected in December, according to a Feb. 3 report from the Commerce Department.

Businesses rebuilding their inventories are helping underpin the manufacturing sector, which accounts for 11.9 percent of the economy