Workers prepare an order of aluminum materials for shipping at the Eastern Metal Supply facility in Lake Worth, Florida.
Mark Elias | Bloomberg | Getty Images
U.S. industrial production was flat in June, as a slump in utilities was offset by gains in output by factories and mining.
The Federal Reserve says manufacturing production increased 0.4% last month, aided by a 3% surge at auto plants. Still, factory output has been weak over the past 12 months, posting a modest gain of just 0.4%. The manufacturing sector has faced challenges because of President Donald Trump's tariffs against China and the retaliatory taxes imposed by that country.
Production at the nation's utilities fell 3.6%, as a milder than usual June led to less demand for air conditioning. Production at mines, a sector that also covers oil and gas drilling, advanced a modest 0.2%.
Capacity utilization fell in June to 77.9% from 78.1% in May.