US industrial production climbed 0.6 per cent in November

WASHINGTON – U.S. industrial production climbed 0.6 per cent on surging output at mines and utilities. But manufacturing production was flat.

The Federal Reserve said Friday that that utility output rose 3.3 per cent as power companies were busier because of unusually cold weather. Mining output rose 1.7 per cent on higher production at coal mines and oil and gas drillers.

Overall industrial production is up 3.9 per cent from November 2017.

But manufacturing was flat in November after falling 0.1 per cent in October. Factories are contending with a stronger dollar that makes their products more expensive in foreign markets, slowing global growth and import taxes that raise their costs.