US industrial production rose 0.9 percent in November, the biggest rise in four years, as companies made more computers, appliances and business equipment, the Federal Reserve said.

　　The rise in production at American factories, mines and utilities last month was the largest since October 1999 and follows a revised 0.4 percent gain in October, the Fed said in Washington. The proportion of industrial capacity in use rose to 75.7 percent from October's 75.1 percent.

　　Manufacturers are boosting production to keep up with sales that are rising almost twice as fast as inventories. The need to replenish depleted stocks may keep assembly lines humming in coming months, helping to broaden the recovery as it enters a third year.

　　"The pendulum is swinging toward businesses now," said Scott Anderson of Wells Fargo & Co in Minneapolis, before the report. They "are investing more in new equipment and inventories, which is a very critical component of the recovery."

　　Economists had expected a 0.5 percent increase in industrial production, according to the median of 66 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey, following October's previously reported 0.2 percent gain. The plant-use rate was the highest since September 2002.

　　Work at factories, which accounts for almost 90 percent of industrial production, rose 0.9 percent last month, also the biggest since October 1999, after rising 0.3 percent in October. Production of consumer durable goods, which includes automobiles, furniture and electronics, rose 0.4 percent after no change the previous month. The gain was paced by a 1.7 percent surge in appliances and furniture manufacturing.

　　Production of technology equipment, such as computers, communications gear and semiconductors, surged 4.1 percent last month after increasing 4 percent.

　　Business equipment production rose 1.7 percent in November after decreasing 0.2 percent the previous month.

　　The US economy will grow at a 3.9 percent annual pace this quarter and expand 4.4 percent in 2004, according to this month's consensus forecast of economists surveyed by Blue Chip Economic Indicators.