US factory orders fall for 6th straight month

WASHINGTON: US factory orders fell for a sixth straight month in January despite strong orders in the crucial civilian aircraft sector, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Overall factory orders dropped 0.2 percent from December to $470 billion, slower than December's 3.5 percent fall.

Excluding the transportation sector -- heavily dominated by cars and aircraft sales -- new orders decreased by 1.8 percent in the month. Car sales were flat.

There was some strength in the report however. Manufactured durable goods orders gained 2.8 percent after a 3.7 percent decline in December.

There was strong growth in orders for power generation and transmission equipment, and computers and electronics.