June 02, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

First-quarter productivity growth revised upward

Productivity in the nonfarm business sector—as measured by output per hour—rose 3.7 percent during the first quarter of 2006. The preliminary productivity estimate was 3.2 percent.

[Chart data—TXT]

In the first quarter of 2006, output increased 6.5 percent and hours of all persons increased 2.7 percent; the preliminary figures were 5.8 and 2.5 percent, respectively.

The hours increase was larger than during any quarter in 2005. 

In the fourth quarter of 2005, nonfarm productivity had declined 0.3 percent as output rose 1.5 percent and hours increased 1.8 percent.

These data are from the BLS Productivity and Costs program. Data in this report are seasonally adjusted annual rates. These estimates are subject to revision. Additional information is available in "Productivity and Costs, First Quarter 2006, revised" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 06-941.