U.S. industrial production rose a bigger-than-expected 0.9 percent in January, the seventh consecutive monthly increase, as manufacturers continued leading the country's economic recovery, the government reported Wednesday. The Federal Reserve (Fed) said activity increased in manufacturing, mining, and energy utilities, and it was the first time all three rose in the same month since August 2009. Last month's gain was bigger than the 0.7 percent advance recorded in December. Manufacturing-the biggest component in the industrial-production report-rose 1.0 percent last month, reversing a 0.1 percent decline in December. It was the biggest increase since manufacturing activity grew 1.2 percent last August. Utilities and mining both gained 0.7 percent in January. Utilities saw a 6.3 percent increase in December because of increased energy use during an unusually cold winter. Mining activity reversed a 0.2 percent decline in December, but still has not returned to November's stronger 2.1 percent growth. The uneven industrial-production results are a typical pattern during slow economic recovery, economists say. U.S. industries were operating at 72.6 percent of capacity last month, a 0.7 percent increase from December, following increases of 0.6 percent from November and 0.4 percent from October.
