NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Production from the nation's factories rose slightly in May, according to a government report out Tuesday.

The report from the Federal Reserve showed industrial production up 0.1 percent to a reading of 109.6. Analysts surveyed by Briefing.com had expected the reading of manufacturing strength to stay unchanged.

The slight gain compares with a revised 0.6 percent decline in the measure in April and another 0.6 percent drop in March. Industrial production was off 0.8 percent from year-earlier levels.

Factories worked at 74.3 percent of capacity, according to the economic report, unchanged from the April figure. Analysts had been looking for factories to have worked at 74.4 percent of capacity.

Manufacturing activity has been getting increased attention from investors in recent months as they look for signs of a broader rebound in the economy. A separate measure of manufacturing by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Monday was credited with helping to lift the Dow Jones industrial average, and U.S. stock indexes opened higher Tuesday following this latest pre-market report.

The report showed production of consumer goods slipped 0.1 percent, due to a fall in output of durable goods in the period. Production of business equipment was unchanged in May, while the output of construction supplies was up 0.3 percent, its first increase since last summer. A separate government report Tuesday showed housing starts were up 6.1 percent in May.