Productivity Soars: U.S. Nonfarm Business Sector Achieves 5.2% Increase in Labor Productivity in Q3 2023
In the third quarter of 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a significant 5.2 percent increase in nonfarm business sector labor productivity. This surge resulted from a 6.1 percent increase in output and a 0.9 percent increase in hours worked. The growth in productivity is the highest since the third quarter of 2020. Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector decreased by 1.2 percent, reflecting a 3.9 percent increase in hourly compensation and a 5.2 percent increase in productivity.For the manufacturing sector, labor productivity declined by 0.8 percent in the third quarter, driven by a 0.3 percent decrease in output and a 0.5 percent increase in hours worked. Durable manufacturing saw a 1.8 percent productivity decrease, while nondurable manufacturing increased by 2.3...