November in the United States witnessed a revival in industrial production, primarily driven by the automotive sector.
This rebound, reported by the Federal Reserve, comes after recent strikes in the auto industry concluded.
Industrial production saw a slight increase of 0.2% last month, a positive shift from the 0.9% decline seen in October.
The growth mainly stems from the end of a six-week strike at major automotive firms like Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.
These companies have agreed to substantial wage raises for their workers, the most significant in years. The end of these strikes played a crucial role in this upturn.
Manufacturing production overall rose by 0.3%. This boost was largely due to a 7.1% increase in vehicle and parts manufacturing.
The Federal Reserve attributes this surge to the resolution of strikes at key automobile manufacturers.
This upswing in the automotive sector positively impacted several other areas.
Notably, there was a 7.5% increase in the automotive products index and a 3.5% rise in durable consumer goods.
However, the production of non-durable consumer goods saw a decrease of 0.8%. This decline signals ongoing challenges within the broader industrial sector.
Rubeela Farooqi of High-Frequency Economics highlights that manufacturing is struggling with increased borrowing costs and lower demand.
Kieran Clancy of Pantheon Macroeconomics highlights that manufacturing relies on strong domestic investment and external demand.
Both factors are presently subdued, affecting overall industrial momentum.