May 08, 2001 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Fourth-quarter productivity growth in factories revised upward

Productivity in manufacturing, as measured by output per hour, increased at a revised seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2000. A preliminary growth rate of 4.8 percent had been reported last month, based on information available at that time.

[Chart data—TXT]

Output decreased 1.8 percent in manufacturing and hours of all persons declined 6.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2000. The change in output earlier reported (based on more limited information) was a decrease of 2.1 percent. The percent change in hours based on the latest information is about the same as in last month's report.

These data are a product of the BLS Quarterly Labor Productivity program. Data are subject to revision. Additional information is available in "Productivity and Costs, Fourth Quarter 2000 (revised)," news release USDL 01-56.