BUSINESS BRIEFS

Factory orders jump Orders for costly manufactured goods staged abroad-based surge in July, the Commerce Department reported,surprising financial markets and raising questions as to whether theeconomy is indeed slowing, as analysts had thought. Orders forcostly durable goods, ranging from communications equipment tocomputers, climbed 1.6 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted$172.7 billion after a revised 0.2 percent fall in June and a robust4.2 percent May increase. The report renewed inflation worries andsent bond prices sharply lower. The 30-year Treasury bond fell 1 1/4points, sending its yield climbing to 6.95 percent from 6.83 percentlate Thursday. The decline in the …