U.S. Productivity climbed 1.2% in fourth-quarter 2019

March 5, 2020

Nonfarm Business Sector

Nonfarm business sector labour productivity inched up 1.2% in the fourth quarter of 2019 as output rose 2.4% and hours worked climbed 1.2%. Year over year, the fourth quarter of 2018 to the fourth quarter of 2019, productivity grew 1.8%, resulting in a 2.6% increase in output and a 0.8% increase in hours worked.

Moreover, in the nonfarm business sector, unit labor costs climbed 0.9% in the fourth quarter of 2019, and increased 1.7% over the last four quarters.

Manufacturing Sector

In the fourth quarter of 2019, labor productivity for the Manufacturing sector declined 0.8%, as output declined 0.4% while hours worked rose 0.4%. Furthermore, in the durable manufacturing sector, productivity went down 0.9%, reflecting a 1.4% decrease in output and a 0.5% decrease in hours worked. Also, productivity declined 1.2% in the nondurable manufacturing sector as output climbed 0.8% and hours worked went up 2.0%.

In the manufacturing sector, unit labor costs climbed 3.6% in the fourth quarter of 2019, and increased 3.7% from the same quarter a year ago.

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