U.S. industrial production up 0.3 pct in December

WASHINGTON, Jan 19: U.S. industrial production increased by 0.3 percent in December, as a robust gain for manufacturing and mining outweighed decreases elsewhere, the Federal Reserve said Friday.

Industrial production increased for the seventh consecutive month in December, as manufacturing and mining output rose 1.1 percent and 1.5 percent respectively, while utilities output declined 6.3 percent, the Fed said.

Total industrial production was 4.0 percent higher in December than it was a year earlier. Data for November was revised slightly up to 0.4 percent.

The overall index in the fourth quarter is now reported to have moved up at an annual rate of 3.8 percent, following a 4.7 percent gain in the third quarter, the Fed said.

(Xinhua/APP)