May 04, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Productivity in first quarter 2007

Productivity—as measured by output per hour of all persons—rose 1.7 percent in the nonfarm business sector in the first quarter of 2007, as output grew 1.4 percent and hours of all persons decreased by 0.3 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rates).

[Chart data—TXT]

In the fourth quarter of 2006, productivity had risen 2.1 percent, reflecting increases in output and hours of 2.9 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.

Hourly compensation increased 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2007, less rapidly than in the fourth quarter, when it grew 8.5 percent. When the rise in consumer prices was taken into account, real hourly compensation fell 1.5 percent in the first quarter, in contrast to a 10.8-percent increase in the fourth 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, First Quarter 2007, Preliminary," (PDF) (TXT),  news release USDL 07-0637.