THE LATEST: A jump in military spending helped boost new orders for big-ticket durable goods by a surprisingly strong 0.8 percent in June while new home sales dropped by a smaller-than-expected 0.6 percent. Consumer sentiment rebounded slightly in July from a 28-year low.

WHAT IT MEANS: Key sectors such as manufacturing, housing and the consumer may perform better in coming months.

YES ... BUT: Analysts cautioned that the economy still faces many headwinds.