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December 15, 2006 10:00 AM, EST

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.S. industrial production rose 0.2% in November, the Federal Reserve said Friday.

The drop in production at factories, mines and utilities followed a followed an unchanged level in October from the previous month that had originally been reported as a 0.2% increase, the Fed said.

The gain was higher than economists’ forecasts of an unchanged level, Bloomberg reported. The increase reflected what might be a temporary jump in automobile production, Bloomberg said.

Manufacturing, which accounts for about 90% of the index, fell 0.2%, matching September’s decline. The factory sector is one of trucking’s largest and most important customers.

The share of industrial capacity in use rose held at 81.8% for a second month.