Midwest manufacturing continued its recovery in January, led by improvement in the auto industry, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The Chicago Fed’s monthly manufacturing index increased 1.1 percent in January, to a seasonally adjusted 84.1.

The index pegs 2007 as 100. The January rise follows an increase of 0.7 percent in December, based on revised data.

Three of the four regional sectors rose in January: Auto production, up 4.1 percent; steel output, up 1.3 percent; and machinery production, up 1.0 percent.

The resource sector output decreased 0.7 percent, with only the chemical subsector increasing. Food, wood, paper and non-metallic subsectors decreased.