The company's products are used by diverse consumer and industrial markets, including flexible and rigid packaging, automotive products, coatings, residential and commercial construction as well as other durable and non-durable goods.

FORBES: #1,487 Westlake Chemical

And orders for non-durable goods, such as processed food and clothing, also rose - by 0.8%.

BBC: US factory orders rise thanks to aircraft sales

Non-durable goods orders also posted the steepest decline since that period, falling 2.0%.

WSJ: Jobless Claims Increase

The Commerce Department also reported that orders for non-transportation durable goods in January rose by a stronger-than-expected 1.9% (the most in a year).

FORBES: Stock Market D��j�� Vu

Consumer-goods orders fell 1.9%, with consumer durable goods orders falling 0.7% and non-durables down 2.2%.

WSJ: Jobless Claims Increase

The Fed has apparently ignored recent jumps in the ISM Mfg Index, ISM Non-Mfg Index (service sector), retail sales, durable goods orders, and the like, which indicated even the point in the recovery may be near where the employment situation improves.

FORBES: Roll Out The Bubbles, We'll Have A Barrel Of Fun (For A While)