ECONOMY

Machine Tool Orders Rise: Orders for U.S.-made machine tools rose strongly in March, capping the best first quarter for the industry in more than a decade, the Assn. for Manufacturing Technology said. March orders totaled $346.80 million, up 25.8% from $275.65 million in February and up from $332.10 million posted in March, 1993. “New capital spending forecasts by U.S. manufacturers should translate into a good 1994 for the industry,” the association’s report said.