December 07, 2000 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Third-quarter productivity growth revised downward

Productivity in the nonfarm business sector, as measured by output per hour, increased at a revised seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.3 percent in the third quarter of 2000. A preliminary growth rate of 3.8 percent had been reported last month, based on information available at that time.

[Chart data—TXT]

Output in nonfarm business increased 2.5 percent and hours of all persons declined 0.8 percent in the third quarter of 2000. The percent change in output earlier reported (based on more limited information) was 3.0 percent. The percent change in hours based on the latest information is 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, Third Quarter 2000 (revised)," news release USDL 00-354.