The numbers: Higher U.S. tariffs have dealt a heavy blow to businesses in the past year, but one thing it hasn't done is freeze investment, especially in promising technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

A key measure of business investment rose strongly in November for the fourth time in five months, according to a report delayed by the government shutdown last fall. So-called core orders climbed 0.7%

The increase in these orders - they omit transportation and defense - has topped 5% in the past 12 months and hit the highest level in three years.

While the tariffs have hurt sales and demand for manufactured goods, companies have kept investing in new technologies that have the promise to reshape how they conduct business and even remake the economy.

The surge in investment helped to propel the U.S. economy in 2025 to a surprisingly strong rate of growth, measured by gross domestic product.

Investment is likely to keep up the pace this year, economists say.

Key details: The investment figures were included in the government's monthly report on durable goods - items meant to last a long time.

Orders for durable goods jumped 5.3% in the month, but the increase was exaggerated by new contracts for passenger planes. These orders take a few years to fulfill, and they can skew the report in the short run.

A better way to glean underlying demand for manufactured goods is to strip out airplanes and autos. Orders minus transportation rose a more modest 0.5%.

Big picture: The effects of tariffs are expected to fade this year and give manufacturers a boost. Investment in artificial intelligence is also sure to stay strong.

All of this could help the U.S. economy to expand for the fifth straight year at an above-average rate of growth.