Tech and Defense Manufacturing Drive Industrial Output Higher in May

Article excerpt

U.S. industrial production ticked upward in May, buoyed by robust output in high-tech and defense manufacturing, mining, and durable goods, enough to overcome weakness in nondurable goods and consumer products. The divergence reveals an economy where defense and technology sectors are firing on all cylinders while consumer-facing industries lag. The data underscores a structural shift in American manufacturing: away from mass consumer goods and toward the specialized, capital-intensive production that fuels both national security and the digital economy.