Industries with especially strong operating rates over the last two years include primary metals, chemicals, fabricated metal products, non-electrical machinery, autos and automotive parts.

There was also a decrease in orders for non-electrical machinery.

Orders for non-electrical machinery edged down five-tenths of 1 percent, to $21.05 billion, the third consecutive decline.

And orders for non-electrical machinery rose 2.6 percent, to $17.3 billion.

There was also strength in non-electrical machinery and chemicals, but steel production fell for the second consecutive month after rising sharply in July.

Much of the month's weakness was concentrated in orders for military goods, down 14.5 percent, and non-electrical machinery, down 10.5 percent.

Orders for non-electrical machinery fell 5.4 percent, to $16.6 billion, following a May decline of six-tenths of 1 percent.

Orders for non-electrical machinery edged down four-tenths of 1 percent, to $17.6 billion.

There was a 2.4 percent decline in orders for non-electrical machinery, more than erasing April's 1.2 percent gain.

However, new orders for non-electrical machinery slumped 5.1 percent, to $21 billion.