the numbers orders for manufactured goods sank 45 in january largely because of a pullback in volatile passenger plane bookings but business investment rose at the fastest pace in five months in a sign of strength for the economy economists polled by the wall street journal had forecast a 36 drop in orders for durable goods these are products like cars and computers meant to last at least three years yet if transportation is set aside new orders rose 07 last month what’s more a key measure of business investment increased at the fastest pace since last summer orders rise in an expanding economy and shrink when growth weakens big picture us manufacturers have recorded slower orders and are growing at a softer pace compared to last year but they are still expanding the outlook for 2023 is increasingly uncertain however because of rising interest rates orchestrated by the federal reserve to tame high inflation market reaction the dow jones industrial average djia and sp 500 spx were set to open higher in monday trades