reflecting gains across all broad categories, and pointing to economic recovery in the factory sector. Excluding transportation, orders rose 2.7% after two months of decline, reflecting surges in primary metals and semiconductors orders which are key building blocks for the new economy. Semiconductors orders posted an astounding 35.3% hike that drove the "Computers & electronic products" category up 2.7% even as computers orders and communications equipment orders fell. Factory shipments rose 3.1% in May, their second gain in three months. Non-defense capital goods orders gained 0.9%, and NDCG shipments were up 2.0%, suggesting business investment is rising. Real nonresidential fixed investment was up 2.1% in Q1, a pace that will be difficult to beat since NDCG shipments were off 5.0% in April.