Orders at U.S. manufacturers increased for the fourth month in a row in December, offering hope that the nation’s economy has turned the corner. The U.S. Commerce Department said that the boost in orders placed with U.S. factories rose by 2.3 percent in December; it was the biggest rise since last July.   Orders for some segments were ...

Demand for expensive products, including production machinery, surged in December.  The increase in demand was much bigger than expected and covered a wide variety of products. The boost in demand hinted at some optimism by businesses about the economy.   Orders for durable goods rose by 5.2% last month to a seasonally adjusted ...