Washington ? The nation’s manufacturers stumbled in November as orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket goods took an unexpected dip, fresh evidence the national economy still is going through a rough patch of its own.

The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that orders for durables, costly manufactured products expected to last at least three years, fell 1.4 percent in November from the previous month.

The drop came after a 1.7 percent rise in orders in October and marked the weakest showing since September, when orders plunged 4.6 percent.

November’s decline surprised economists, who had forecast an increase in orders of around 0.8 percent.

“Manufacturing in general is flat,” said economist Clifford Waldman, president of Waldman Associates. “It is at the 50 yard line, if you will.”

Manufacturing has been the weakest link in the national economy’s recovery.