May 07, 2004 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Productivity growth in first quarter

Nonfarm business sector productivity—as measured by output per hour—rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.5 percent in the first quarter of 2004.

Growth in output per hour of all persons, nonfarm business, seasonally adjusted, 2002 II - 2004 I (percent change from previous quarter at annual rate)
[Chart data—TXT]

Output increased 4.9 percent and hours of all persons increased 1.3 percent in the first quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2003, productivity had risen 2.5 percent, reflecting increases in output and hours of 4.2 and 1.6 percent, respectively.

These data are from the BLS Productivity and Costs program. Data are subject to revision. Additional information is available in "Productivity and Costs, First Quarter 2004" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 04-817.