defense capital goods excluding aircraft dropped 0.1 percent. Manufacturing is slowing, constrained by weak global demand, the stronger U.S. dollar, and falling crude-oil prices, which have caused some companies in the energy sector to either delay or reduce capital expenditure projects. Business spending on equipment in the fourth quarter was the weakest since mid-2009. The trend in business investment likely continued into the current quarter, but economists still are optimistic that surging domestic demand will result in a rebound in overall factory orders this year.
