U.S manufacturing has expanded for more than two years. Factories were one of the first areas of the economy to start growing after the recession officially ended in June 2009.
The latest ISM survey showed that U.S. factories should start the year strongly. Factories hired last month at the fastest pace since June, the survey found. A measure of new orders rose, a good sign for future output. And exports also increased last month, though it's not clear how long that will last. Europe's economy is faltering amidst a debt crisis.
Consumers are gaining confidence and are spending more. Some economists forecast that car sales increased in December after a strong month of sales in November. That should boost output among automakers and also steel companies, tire makers and others that supply the industry.
Orders for long-lasting manufacturing goods jumped in November, the Commerce Department said last month. Most of that increase reflected a huge rise in commercial aircraft orders, a volatile category.
Still, demand for core capital goods, which are often a proxy for business investment plans, fell for the second straight month. Business spending has been a key driver of economic growth in 2011. If businesses cut back on spending, economic growth is likely to slow.
The Conference Board said last week that its consumer confidence index rose in December to the highest level since April. That's important because consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the economy.
The economy likely grew at an annual rate of 3 percent or more in the final three months of this year, analysts say. That would top the 1.8 percent growth rate in the July-September quarter, and the 0.9 percent growth rate in the first half of the year.
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