The U.S. factory orders rose 0.4 percent in June, outpacing the economists' expectation, according to data released on Wednesday by the Commerce Department. The gain in June, which followed a 1.1-percent increase in May, marks the fourth rise in five months. Analysts said it is the latest sign that the ailing manufacturing sector is recovering. Economists expected a one-percent drop in a survey by Thomson Reuters. A 2.7-percent rise in orders for nondurable goods, such as chemicals and textiles, was the most since June 2008 and drove the overall increase. Orders for petroleum and coal products jumped 13. 2 percent, as the price of oil rose. Orders for durable goods, big-ticket items such as aircraft and appliances fell 2.2 percent. 