Production in American industry continues to recover, rising 0.8 percent in May as auto factories rebound despite continued disruptions from the semiconductor shortage, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday. The Fed's industrial production index is up 16.3 percent compared to the same month of 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic caused shutdowns across much of the economy, but its recovery has been bumpy. Manufacturing gained 0.9 percent in the month and is up 18.3 percent over the past year, pushed by a 6.7 percent rise in motor vehicles and parts, according to the Fed data. However, auto output remains well below the average in the second half of 2020 "as production continued to be hampered by shortages of semiconductors," the report said. Mining output also rose 1.2 percent, while utilities edged up 0.2 percent. Meanwhile, factory capacity in use surged to 75.2 percent, besting the level of March 2020 when the economic shutdowns began, but still below the pre-pandemic level. hs/cs