WASHINGTON — Orders for big-ticket manufactured goods rebounded 0.5% in March as U.S. factories recovered from frigid February weather disruptions.

It was the 10th gain in the past 11 months and followed a 0.9% decline in February, a month when much of the country was hit by severe winter storms, the Commerce Department reported today.

Orders in a closely watched category that tracks business investment plans also rebounded, increasing 0.9% after having fallen 0.8% in February.

Excluding the volatile transportation sector, orders would have risen 1.6% in March after having dropped 0.3% in February.