Manufacturing picks up paceWASHINGTON — U.S. manufacturing grew last month at the fastest pace since July, a sign that American factories are coping with economic weakness overseas and a strong dollar.The Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday that its manufacturing index came in at 51.9, up from 51.5 in September. Anything above 50 signals growth. Ten of 18 manufacturing industries reported growth last month.Production and export orders grew faster in October. A measure of factory employment rose last month after falling for three straight months. The Labor Department issues its jobs report for October on Friday. The ISM suggests the report may show that factory employment climbed last month after falling in August and September.Factories have now expanded seven of the last eight months, a sign they’ve overcome the weight of a strong dollar that makes their products costlier in foreign markets.

Philly transit strike enters second dayPHILADELPHIA — Commuters in Philadelphia are facing another day of transportation woes today as a transit strike enters its second day.The walkout began early Tuesday after the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and a union representing about 4,700 workers failed to reach a contract agreement, shutting down buses, trolleys and subways that provide about 900,000 rides a day.The strike wasn’t supposed to affect commuter rail lines and service in areas outside the city, but the transit agency said at the start of Tuesday’s evening rush hour that striking workers were preventing some regional train crews from reporting to work, causing the cancellation of a number of trains to the suburbs. Rail lines serving the suburbs were operating Tuesday morning.