MANUFACTURING

Machine Tool Orders Increase: The orders for U.S.-built tools rose 19.3% last month and 6.73% for the first half of the year, a sign that manufacturers are gearing up for an economic expansion. The Assn. for Manufacturing Technology said in a monthly survey that June orders totaled $447.75 million, compared with $375.30 million in June 1995. Year-to-date orders totaled $2.62 billion vs. $2.45 billion. The June report also showed rising foreign demand for U.S.-built tools, a sign of economic rebound in Europe and Japan. The machine tool orders report is considered a barometer of how manufacturers see their businesses faring in the future. Rising orders for tools suggest customers foresee the need to expand production capacity because of rising demand for their products.