The numbers: Industrial production rose 0.4% in August, the Federal Reserve reported Friday. This is the third monthly increase. The gain was above Wall Street expectations of a 0.3% increase. Over the past year, output is up 4.9%. What happened: In August, manufacturing rose 0.2% on the back of a 4% rise in production of motor vehicles and parts. Excluding autos, manufacturing was flat in August. Overall, the gains in output were widespread, with only nonindustrial supply production declining. Utility output rose 1.2% after a 0.1% gain in July. Capacity utilization rose to 78.1% in August, the highest rate since ... (full story)