Economics
Factory Production in U.S. Falls Most Since August on Autos
An employee inspects the quality of fenders during production at the General Motors Co. (GM) assembly plant in Arlington, Texas, on March 10, 2016.
Photographer: Matthew Busch/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Output at U.S. manufacturers fell in March by the most since August as production of automobiles and parts and business equipment declined, Federal Reserve data showed on Tuesday.
The weakness in auto manufacturing mirrors a slowdown in sales to consumers, indicating that a broader recovery at factories remains bumpy, with production rising 0.8 percent last month from a year earlier. The rebound in utility output follows two months of sharp declines amid unusually warm weather and may reflect stronger demand for heating with March temperatures that were a bit more seasonal.