Production off in September

Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2001 | 9:38 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Industrial activity plummeted in September, the 12th straight month of decline, as the terror attacks dealt a new blow to the nation's battered manufacturing sector.

The last time there was a string of 12 consecutive declines in industrial output was from November 1944 through October 1945.

Output at the nation's factories, utilities and mines fell by 1 percent last month, the worst showing since June, when industrial production declined by the same amount, the Federal Reserve reported today. That followed a 0.7 percent deline in August.

Operating capacity sank to 75.5 percent in September, the lowest level since June 1983, as companies throttled back production in the face of sagging demand.

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