A record plunge in output at the nation’s utilities due to unusually warm weather in January led to a small decline in industrial production in January.
The Federal Reserve reported Wednesday that industrial output fell by a slight 0.2 percent last month following strong gains of 0.9 percent in December and 1.1 percent in November. It was the first decline since a huge 1.3 percent fall in September that reflected the widespread disruption along the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.
