November 08, 2002 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Another rise in productivity

Nonfarm business sector productivity—as measured by output per hour—increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.0 percent in the third quarter of 2002.

Growth in output per hour of all persons, nonfarm business, seasonally adjusted, 2000 IV-2002 III (percent change from previous quarter at annual rate)
[Chart data—TXT]

Output rose by 4.1 percent and hours of all persons edged up by 0.1 percent in the third quarter. The small rise in hours reflects a 0.6-percent increase in employment combined with a 0.5-percent decline in average weekly hours at work.

Hourly compensation increased at a 4.8-percent annual rate in the third quarter of 2002. When the rise in consumer prices is taken into account, real hourly compensation rose at a 2.9-percent annual rate during the July-September period.

These data are a product of the BLS Productivity and Costs program. Data are subject to revision. Additional information is available in "Productivity and Costs, Third Quarter 2002" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 02-624.

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