U.S. Economy: Manufacturing Strengthens, Bolstering Expansion

Production at U.S. factories increased for a sixth month in February, indicating manufacturing will keep stoking the economy and underscoring the Federal Reserve’s view of a stronger expansion.

The 0.4 percent rise in manufacturing output, which makes up 75 percent of all industrial production, followed a 0.9 percent January gain that was three times as large as initially estimated, Fed figures showed today. A gauge of Philadelphia-area factories unexpectedly climbed to a 27-year high.