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May 16, 2006 10:30 AM, EDT

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.S. industrial production rose 0.8% in April, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday.

The production increase at factories, mines and utilities followed a followed a 0.6% gain in February, the Fed said.

The increase topped economists’ forecasts of a 0.5% increase, Bloomberg reported.

Manufacturing, which accounts for about 90% of the index, rose 0.7% following a 0.5% gain in March. The factory sector is one of trucking’s largest and most important customers.

The share of industrial capacity in use rose to 81.9%, the highest since July 2000, from 81.4% in March.