US factory orders fall 2.9%, highlight sector’s weakness

WASHINGTON, D.C.: New US factory orders slumped in December, fresh evidence of the weakness in the manufacturing sector hit by a strong dollar and slowing economies, official data showed on Thursday.

Initial orders for US manufactured goods, which have fallen in four of the last five months, dropped 2.9 percent last month, following a 0.7 percent decline in November, the Commerce Department reported.