Overall industrial production increased by 0.4 percent in March, while manufacturing output dipped by 0.1 percent, after having risen 0.9 percent in February. The output of utilities surged by 5.3 percent in March due to unusually cold temperatures for much of the country. The output at mines decreased 0.2 percent in March.
The production of durable goods dipped 0.2 percent in March, contributing to the decline in overall manufacturing production. The production of business equipment edged up 0.1 percent in March. The production of motor vehicles and parts, however, jumped 3 percent.
