ORDERS to United States factories rose broadly in September, propelled by business spending on commercial airplanes, boats and machines.

The US Commerce Department yesterday said factory orders rose by 2.1 percent in September, the steepest increase since January. Orders were flat in August.

Excluding the transport sector, orders rose 0.4 percent, after gaining 1.3 percent in August.

Business spending on big-ticket goods such as airplanes and heavy machines produced most of the demand. But consumer spending also rose by 1 percent, after running flat in August.