Washington: US factory production unexpectedly fell in August and higher oil prices and rising interest rates could offset some of the support from an artificial intelligence buildout, likely keeping activity moderate for the rest of the year.
The decline in output, reported by the Federal Reserve on Friday, followed seven straight months of increases. The US central bank on Wednesday raised interest rates for the first time in three years and flagged further increases in borrowing costs in the months ahead. Oil prices are hovering above $100 a barrel with no end in sight to the US-Israeli war with Iran.
