U.S. factory orders increase 0.2% in September as shortages persist

Orders for goods produced by U.S. factories rose 0.2% in September, the government said Wednesday. The increase matched the forecast of economists polled by MarketWatch. Orders for durable goods slid 0.3%, but the decline was offset by a 0.8% increase in orders for nondurable goods. U.S. manufacturers have plenty of demand, but they are having trouble finding enough labor and materials to keep production going at full tilt. Auto makers have been particularly hard hit. The shortages have slowed the U.S. economic recovery.