Industrial Production Rises 0.8% in April

he Federal Reserve said Friday industrial production in the United States rose 0.8% in April, and the proportion of industrial capacity in use rose to 76.9%, the highest since July 2001, from 76.5%.

April's increase in production at the nation's factories, mines, and utilities was the seventh in the last eight months, and followed a revised 0.1% decrease in March.

The manufacturing sector is one of trucking’s largest and most important customers, and when it is growing, the demand for trucking services generally rises.

Work at factories, which accounts for almost 90% of industrial production, rose 0.7% last month after rising 0.1% in March.

The Fed said the 4.8% gain in industrial production over the past 12 months is the biggest since a 5.7% gain over a similar period ending in June 2000.