U.S. industrial production strengthened at the start of 2026, with output rising 2.28% year-over-year in January, up from a 1.30% annual increase recorded in December 2025. The data, updated on 18 February 2026, indicate a notable acceleration in activity across the industrial sector.
Both the current and previous readings compare each month’s production to the same month a year earlier, highlighting a firming trend as the new year began. The improvement suggests that U.S. industry entered 2026 with increased momentum after more modest gains at the end of 2025.
