By Ruth Mantell
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- New orders for manufactured goods grew 3.1% in January -- the largest gain since September of 2006 - as new orders for transportation equipment grew 27.3%, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected overall new orders to rise 2%. Excluding transportation, new orders gained 0.7%. Orders for durable goods rose 3.2% in January, up from a prior estimate of 2.7%. Orders for nondurable goods rose 3.1%. In December, overall new orders for manufactured goods rose 1.4%.
