May factory production down on energy pullback

Washington

FACTORY production unexpectedly declined in May as the slump in energy output deepened.

The 0.2 per cent decrease at manufacturers followed a 0.1 per cent increase in April, figures from the Federal Reserve in Washington showed on Monday. Total industrial production, which also includes mines and utilities, also dropped 0.2 per cent.

Production of consumer energy products declined for a third consecutive month, exacerbating a decrease in other non-durable goods such as foods and chemicals that swamped continued gains among carm…