August 09, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Productivity growth in second quarter 2006

Productivity—as measured by output per hour of all persons—increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.1 percent in the nonfarm business sector during the second quarter of 2006. Output increased 2.5 percent and hours of all persons rose 1.4 percent.

[Chart data—TXT]

In the first quarter of 2006, output per hour grew at a 4.3 percent annual rate, as output grew 6.7 percent and hours increased 2.3 percent. 

Hourly compensation in the nonfarm business sector increased 5.4 percent in the second quarter of 2006, less than the 6.9-percent rise one quarter earlier. When the rise in consumer prices is taken into account, real hourly compensation rose 0.4 percent in the second quarter after increasing 4.7 percent in the first quarter. 

Unit labor costs increased 4.2 percent in the second quarter, and 2.5 percent in the first quarter, of 2006. 

These data are from the BLS Productivity and Costs program. Data are subject to revision. For more information, see "Productivity and Costs, Second Quarter 2006, Preliminary," news release USDL 06-1351.