°®¶¹´«Ã½

Factory orders decreased 1% in January, the first decline in three months, the Commerce Department reported.

U.S. manufacturing activity slipped from a seven-month high in February but showed continued expansion, the Institute for Supply Management said Thursday.

An index of manufacturing activity in the Chicago area increased in February, the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago said Wednesday.

TAMPA, Fla. — Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems said it has distributed the first of more than 130,000 kits to fix a defective brake-system valve, but said the process could take about six months to complete as manufacturers, dealers and fleets scramble to repair more than 67,000 affected U.S. and Canadian trucks.

Manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia region expanded at a faster pace in January, reaching a four-month high, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said Thursday.

Manufacturing activity in the New York region expanded in February at the fastest rate since June 2010, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Wednesday.

President Obama has included $330 million for programs to combat distracted driving in his six-year transportation spending plan, as part of the administration’s proposed 2013 budget.

Daimler Trucks’ fourth-quarter earnings before interest and taxes rose 5% to 422 million euros ($569.7 million), reflecting a 22% increase in worldwide truck sales, parent company Daimler AG said.

Factory orders rose 1.1%, the second straight increase, the Commerce Department reported.