Posted August 9, 2011
Q2 productivity falls
Manufacturing sector productivity fell 2.0 percent in the second quarter of 2011, as output rose 0.6 percent and hours increased 2.6 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Over the last four quarters, manufacturing productivity increased 2.3 percent. Unit labor costs in manufacturing increased 4.4 percent in the second quarter of 2011 and were unchanged (0.0 percent) over the last four quarters.
Productivity fell 3.5 percent in the durable goods sector in the second quarter of 2011 as a 5.1 percent increase in hours outpaced a 1.4 percent increase in output. In contrast, nondurable goods manufacturing productivity increased 1.2 percent as hours decreased faster than output.
Total nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased at a 0.3 percent annual rate during the quarter.
