OTHER NEWS - April 29, 1996

Machine Tool Orders Rose in March: Orders for American-made machine tools rose nearly 19% last month, but fell compared with that time last year, an industry trade group reported Sunday. Orders of machine tools--used to cut and shape metal for products ranging from toasters to tractors--are a sign of whether manufacturers are confident enough about demand to refurbish and expand their factories. March orders totaled $499.8 million, up from $421.4 million in February, the Assn. for Manufacturing Technology said. Compared with a year ago, March orders were down 13.5%.