U.S. Factory Orders Fall 0.1% In February

February isn't looking like that good a month, if recent data from the U.S. government is to be relied upon. The latest disappointment was in factory orders, which declined by 0.1%. Expectations were for a 0.5% rise. Shipments of manufactured goods, though, rose by 0.3%.


The gold market, already rising, stumbled a bit before the data were released but jumped from $1,425 right before and on the finding. Its subsequent rise carried it up to $1,439, although WTI crude breaking through $106 also helped push the metal up.