U.S. Industrial Production Rose 0.2% in November

Industrial production (IP) rose 0.2 percent in November and was revised down in October to show no change from its September level; the revision to October was in response to weaker incoming data for durable manufacturing. At 112.3 percent of its 2002 average, the index for total IP in November was 3.8 percent above its year-earlier level. Manufacturing production increased 0.3 percent in November after two previous months of declines and was significantly boosted by a sharp increase in the production of motor vehicles and parts. Elsewhere in manufacturing, production was, on net, unchanged. The output at mines slipped 0.2 percent, and the output at utilities edged down 0.1 percent. The rate of capacity utilization for total industry held steady at 81.8 percent, a level 0.8 percentage point above its 1972-2005 average.