Industrial Production Rose at Fastest Pace in More Than a Year as Manufacturing SurgedJohn Carney 15 May 2026
U.S. industrial production rose in April at the fastest pace in more than a year, powered by a broad manufacturing gain led by autos and supported by strong output from computers, electronics, and other industries seeing renewed demand due to investments in artificial intelligence.
Industrial production rose 0.7 percent in April, the Federal Reserve said Friday, reversing a revised 0.3 percent decline in March. The increase was the largest since February 2025 and lifted total industrial output to its highest level since August 2019.
Manufacturing output, which accounts for about three-quarters of total industrial production, climbed 0.6 percent. That was also the strongest monthly gain since February of last year. Factory output has now risen for four consecutive months and is at its highest level since April 2022.
Both the overall figure and the manufacturing figure exceeded even the most optimistic estimates of economists.
The April gain was concentrated in durable goods, where output jumped 1.2 percent. Production of motor vehicles and parts surged 3.7 percent, making autos the single largest driver of the manufacturing increase. Motor vehicle output climbed 5.3 percent, while motor vehicle parts rose 2.6 percent.
But the strength was not confined to autos. Computer and electronic products rose 1.5 percent, one of the strongest gains among major manufacturing categories. Output of computer and peripheral equipment rose 1.5 percent, while semiconductor and other electronic components climbed 1.0 percent. Communications equipment increased 0.6 percent.
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https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2026/05/15/industrial-production-rose-at-fastest-pace-in-more-than-a-year-as-manufacturing-surged/
