US Industrial Production Fell in March in Broad Decline

A worker arc welds a metal door during production at a manufacturing facility in Sacramento, California.

Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

US industrial production declined in March as manufacturing softened and utility output decreased in the wake of the Iran war.

The 0.5% drop in production at factories, mines and utilities followed an upwardly revised 0.7% surge a month earlier, Federal Reserve data showed Thursday. Economists projected a 0.1% advance, according to the Bloomberg survey median.