America’s factories saw orders go up by a strong 1.2 percent in November, the fastest rate in four months and a sign the nation’s manufacturing sector was gaining momentum with 2005 just around the corner.

The latest snapshot of manufacturing activity, released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, was even better than the 0.8 percent rise many analysts were forecasting. The 1.2 percent increase, the most since July, followed a solid 0.9 percent gain in October.

Tuesday’s report, along with one released on Monday by the Institute for Supply Management, suggest the industrial sector is continuing to gain ground and strengthen its recovery.

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