Today in business: 5 things you need to know

Stocks fall, Bank of America's mortgage business is questioned, and more in our roundup of the business stories that are making news and driving opinion

A pipe-making factory in California: U.S. factory orders rose significantly less than expected.
(Image credit: Beth Schlanker/ZUMA Press/Corbis)

1. STOCKS FALL ON DISAPPOINTING FACTORY REPORT

The Commerce Department on Monday reported that orders placed with factories rose 1.8 percent in December 2012, significantly less than economists had expected. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell nearly 100 points in the immediate aftermath of the report, which suggested that U.S. economic activity could be slowing. Orders for durable goods — big-ticket items like cars, televisions, and washers — rose 4.3 percent in December. [The Financial Times]

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Ryu Spaeth

Ryu Spaeth is deputy editor at TheWeek.com. Follow him on Twitter.