Output in April Up 0.4%; First Rise in 5 Months: Output in April Up 0.4%; First Rise in 5 A
The nationÛªs industrial output rose 0.4 per cent in April, the first rise in five months, the Federal Reserve Board reported yesterday.</br></br>The Fed said the industrial production index, which meas-j ures the output of the nationÛªs factories, mines and utilities, rose to 124.7 per cent of the 1907 average, a level just 0.5, per cent above a year earlier.</br></br>The April increase, following declines of 0.6 per cent ini February and 0.3 per cent in i March, was attributed prima-: rily to gains in industries producing automobiles, business equipment and durable goods materials.</br></br>Industrial production is a key indicator of the nationÛªs"; economic health. While a monthÛªs data is not necessarily indicative of a trend, future monthly rises could signify a turnaround in the nation's real growth, which declined at , an annual rale of 5.8 per cent in the first quarter, i In other economic develop, merits yesterday;</br></br>Û¢	The Conference Board reported that consumer confidence in tlie economy made a ÛÏpartial recoveryÛ in March and April from an all-time low the two previous months. The hoard, a private, nonprofit research group, said its latest survey of 10.00(1 families showed that 20 per cent believe business conditions will improve over the next six months*, compared to 11 per cent before. Consumers hate not carried over their increased confidence into buying plans, however, and are still cautious about future purchases. $3.1 billion rise in February. Manufacturers added $1.2 billion to their inventories on hand, wholesalers added $898 million, and retailers added] $349 million.