market pulse Sept. 15, 2010, 9:16 a.m. EDT · Recommend · Post: Aug. industrial output up 0.2%Explore related topics Industrial, Equipment Story Comments Screener (3) Alert Email Print ShareBy Greg Robb WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The output of the nation's factories, mines and utilities rose 0.2% in August, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday. The increase was slightly stronger than expected. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected a 0.1% increase. Output in July was revised down to a 0.6% rise compared with the prior estimate of a 1.0% gain. The revised data now shows this is the fourteenth straight gain in industrial output. Factory activity alone rose 0.2% in August after rising 0.7% in July. The slower production was the result of slower auto production which had bolstered output in July. Excluding autos, factory output increased 0.5% in August after a 0.2% gain in July. Capacity utilization - a gauge of slack in the economy -- rose to 74.7% in August from 74.6% in July. This is the highest level since September 2008
