Business Brief

U.S. factory orders hit record high in June

8/3/2013

WASHINGTON — Orders placed with U.S. factories rose to a record high in June, boosted by strong demand for airplanes, machinery, and autos.

Factory orders rose 1.5 percent in June compared with May, when orders had risen 3 percent, the Commerce Department reported Friday. The gains pushed total orders to a record $496.7 billion. It was the second straight month that factory orders have been at an all-time high, surpassing the previous record set in June, 2008.