Nonfarm Productivity

May 8, 2025 Non-farm productivity declined 0.8% in the first quarter after rising 1.7% in the fourth quarter.   The first quarter decline consisted of a 0.3% decline in output combined with a 0.6% increase in hours worked. Hence, a 0.8% decline in productivity in that...

Unit Labor Costs

May; 8, 2025 Unit labor costs might be a term that is not familiar to you.  Unit labor costs represent the increase in compensation adjusted for the gains in productivity.  You might think that if labor costs are rising that would put upward pressure on...

Hourly Compensation

May 8, 2025 The Bureau of Labor Statistics  indicated that hourly compensation rose 4.8% in the first quarter after climbing 3.7% in the fourth quarter.  In the past year compensation has risen 2.7%. Growth in hourly compensation is a good thing, but that increase can...