Economists had forecasted a 0.1% increase.
U.S. industrial production fell for a second straight month in November, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monthly report released Dec. 15.
Total industrial production decreased 0.2% in November, falling short of the 0.1% increase forecasted in an economist survey from The Wall Street Journal. The figure follows a 0.1% decline in October and a robust 0.4% increase in September.
Capacity utilization — which reflects limits to operations in U.S. factories, mines and utilities — also dropped for a second straight month, checking in at 79.7% in November. Capacity utilization was 79.9% in October, which was down from 80.3% in September.
Decreases of 0.6% in manufacturing and 0.7% in mining accounted for the decline in industrial production, according to the report, though they were partially offset by a 3.6% increase in utilities, which rebounded after three consecutive months of decline.
Brad Star is an Associate Editor at MDM, having joined the company in August 2022. He spent most of the previous two years as a Business Reporter for USA-Today Network-Wisconsin’s Appleton Post-Crescent, writing its Buzz column that covered local retail and consumer service businesses in the Fox Cities. Star has a degree in economics from Beloit College.
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