Industrial production at U.S. factories, utilities, and mines rose 0.2 percent in June, with output from factories increasing for the fifth consecutive month, the government reported Wednesday. The Federal Reserve (Fed) said factory output rose 0.1 percent last month, down from a gain of 0.4 percent in May. Mining output, which includes oil and natural-gas drilling, surged 0.8 percent. Utility production fell 0.3 percent, mostly reflecting weather patterns. Industrial production, which increased 0.5 percent in May, has risen at an annual rate of 5.5 percent in the April-June quarter, the best performance in almost four years. Factory output—the biggest component of industrial production—rose at a 6.7 percent annual rate in the second quarter, the most in two years, the Fed said. The strong factory activity in the second quarter has helped the economy return to growth after a sharp contraction in the first three months of the year. Americans are buying more cars, and businesses are spending more on steel, other metals, and computers. Auto sales reached an eight-year high in June.