June 05, 2003 (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—increased at a revised seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.9 percent in the first quarter of 2003.

[Chart data—TXT]

A preliminary estimate of 1.6 percent had been reported on May 1, based on information available at that time. The upward revision was due to a larger increase in output than originally reported.

Output in the nonfarm business sector increased 1.8 percent in the first quarter, revised upward from a preliminary estimate of 1.4 percent. Hours of all persons were down 0.1 percent, the same as previously reported.

These data are from the BLS Productivity and Costs program. Data are subject to revision. Additional information is available in "Productivity and Costs, First Quarter 2003" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 03-279.