Factory orders climb less than expected WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. factory orders rose 1.1 percent from November to December, with orders reaching $466.2 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Friday. Factory orders rose by $5.3 billion, which was shy of expectations. Economists predicted a rise of 1.5 percent. Consistent with the last two months, transportation items were the foundation of the gains made. Excluding transportation, orders for transportation rose by 0.6 percent. Shipments of goods made in factories, up seven consecutive months, rose by $3.4 billion to $459.4 billion after rising 0.2 percent in November. Inventories, up 26 of the past 27 months, rose by $400 million or 0.1 percent to $610.1 billion. New orders for durable goods -- goods expected to last three years -- rose by 3 percent to $214.3 billion, climbing for the fifth month of the past six. Orders for non-durable goods fell by 0.4 percent to $251.9 billion.