Industrial Output Rises For 1th Straight Month
Industrial production continued to rise in March but at the slowest rate in five ÐÊ months, the Federal Reserve Board said Thursday.</br></br>The nationÛªs central bank said the output of the countryÛªs factories, mines and utilities rose 0.6 per cent last month. This is the smallest increase since last October, when production was up 0.4 'per cent.</br></br>An increase in industrial production generally signals similar gains in employment for factory workers who must be hired to meet con- . sumer demand.</br></br>The Fed said auto produc-~ tion, which has contributed heavily to 11 straight gains in industrial production, once again provided ÛÏthe major impetusÛªÛª for the overall March rise.</br></br>Auto assemblies increased almost 3 per cent from FebruaryÛªs levels to an annual rate of 8.3 million units. This is the largest one-