Industrial production declined 0.2% in May after having fallen 0.7% in April.
 
Manufacturing output was unchanged in May, the output of utilities shrank 1.8%, and the output at mines rose 0.1%. Factory output was boosted by a small pickup in the index for motor vehicles and parts.
 
The end in late May of the strike at a parts producer had little effect on vehicle output for the month; the output of motor vehicles and parts remained about 10% below its February level. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, manufacturing production edged down 0.1% after having decreased 0.5% in April.
 
At 110.9% of its 2002 average, overall industrial production was 0.1% below its year-earlier level. The rate of capacity utilization for total industry declined 0.2 …