U.S. factory output dropped in November for the first time in three months, showing an anemic recovery in manufacturing after an extended slowdown.
Production at factories, which make up 75% of all output, fell 0.1%, a Federal Reserve report showed Wednesday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for a 0.2% drop. Total industrial output, which includes mines and utilities, decreased 0.4%, the biggest decline since March, as utility use slowed with warmer-than-usual temperatures.
