WASHINGTON — Overall output at U.S. factories, mines and utilities likely rose in June, but manufacturing remains weak.
Economists forecast that overall industrial production rose 0.3 percent in June, according to a survey by FactSet. It was flat in May and fell 0.4 percent in April.
Factory output, the most important component of industrial production, is likely to remain lackluster after growing just 0.1 percent in May and falling in March and April.
The Federal Reserve will release the May industrial production report at 9:15 a.m. EDT Friday.
Factories have struggled this year, providing little support to the U.S. economy. Manufacturing output was up just 1.7 percent in 12 months that ended in May. And factories have cut jobs in each of the past four months, shedding a total of 24,000 since February.
A key reason for the weakness is slower global growth has cut demand for U.S. exports. China's economy, for instance, grew at the slowest pace in more than two decades from April through June, according to data released Monday. And much of Europe is still in recession.
Manufacturing has shown improvement in Britain, France and Italy. Large Japanese manufacturers are also sounding optimistic for the first time in nearly two years.
The Institute for Supply Management said that U.S. factory activity improved in June after hitting its lowest level in four years. But the closely watched manufacturing survey reported that employment fell to its lowest level since September 2009.
