Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL 17-1221
8:30 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, September 7, 2017
Technical information: (202) 691-5606 Productivity@bls.gov www.bls.gov/lpc
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 PressOffice@bls.gov
PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS
Second Quarter 2017, Revised
Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased 1.5 percent during the
second quarter of 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today,
as output increased 4.0 percent and hours worked increased 2.5 percent. (All
quarterly percent changes in this release are seasonally adjusted annual
rates.) From the second quarter of 2016 to the second quarter of 2017,
productivity increased 1.3 percent, reflecting a 2.8-percent increase in
output and a 1.5-percent increase in hours worked. (See tables A1 and 2.)
Labor productivity, or output per hour, is calculated by dividing an index of
real output by an index of hours worked by all persons, including employees,
proprietors, and unpaid family workers.
Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased 0.2 percent in the
second quarter of 2017, reflecting a 1.8-percent increase in hourly
compensation and a 1.5-percent increase in productivity. Unit labor costs
decreased 0.2 percent over the last four quarters. (See tables A1 and 2.)
BLS calculates unit labor costs as the ratio of hourly compensation to labor
productivity. Increases in hourly compensation tend to increase unit labor
costs, and increases in output per hour tend to reduce them.
Manufacturing sector labor productivity increased 2.9 percent in the second
quarter of 2017, as output increased 2.1 percent and hours worked decreased
0.7 percent. The increase in manufacturing output per hour is the largest
since the first quarter of 2012, when the measure increased 3.2 percent.
Productivity increased 3.8 percent in the durable goods manufacturing sector
and increased 0.5 percent in the nondurable goods sector in the second quarter
of 2017. The larger productivity gain in durable goods industries was due
primarily to a 2.7-percent decline in hours worked, as output increased 1.0
percent. In contrast, the modest increase in nondurable manufacturing
productivity reflected a 2.8-percent increase in hours worked and a 3.4-
percent increase in output. Over the last four quarters, total manufacturing
sector productivity increased 1.1 percent, as output increased 1.6 percent and
hours worked increased 0.5 percent. (See tables A1, 3, 4 and 5.) Unit labor
costs in manufacturing decreased 0.4 percent in the second quarter of 2017 and
rose 0.1 percent from the same quarter a year ago.
The concepts, sources, and methods used for the manufacturing output series
differ from those used in the business and nonfarm business output series;
these output measures are not directly comparable. See the Technical Notes for
a more detailed explanation.
Preliminary second-quarter 2017 measures of productivity and costs were
announced for the nonfinancial corporate sector. Productivity increased 4.6
percent in the second quarter of 2017, as output increased 7.8 percent, and
hours worked increased 3.1 percent; the increase in output was the largest
since a 9.9-percent gain in the first quarter of 2012. Unit labor costs
decreased 2.6 percent, as hourly compensation increased 1.9 percent and
productivity increased 4.6 percent. (See tables A2 and 6.)
Revised measures
The measures released today are based on more recent source data than were
available for the preliminary report. Table B1 presents previous and revised
productivity and related measures for the nonfarm business, business, and
manufacturing sectors.
In the second quarter of 2017, nonfarm business productivity was revised up
0.6 percentage point to an increase of 1.5 percent. Output was revised up to
an increase of 4.0 percent; hours were not revised. Unit labor costs increased
0.2 percent rather than increasing 0.6 percent as reported August 9, as a
0.6-percentage point upward revision to productivity was slightly offset by
a 0.2-percentage point upward revision to hourly compensation.
In the second quarter of 2017, manufacturing sector productivity was revised
up to an increase of 2.9 percent from a previously-reported increase of 2.5
percent. Unit labor costs decreased 0.4 percent, a slightly larger decline
than previously reported. Durable goods manufacturing productivity was not
revised, and nondurable goods manufacturing productivity was revised up to an
increase of 0.5 percent.
Table B2 shows previous and revised productivity and related measures for the
nonfarm business, business, manufacturing and nonfinancial corporate sectors
for the first quarter of 2017.
In the first quarter of 2017, nonfarm business productivity increased at the
same 0.1-percent rate reported in the preliminary estimate. Unit labor costs
were revised down 0.6 percentage point to an increase of 4.8 percent.
Manufacturing sector productivity was revised down slightly to an increase of
0.2 percent. Hourly compensation and unit labor costs had upward revisions of
0.2 percentage point and 0.4 percentage point, respectively.
In the nonfinancial corporate sector, first-quarter 2017 productivity
increased at the same 2.0-percent rate that was previously reported. Unit
labor costs were revised up slightly to an increase of 2.3 percent. (See table
B2.)
Hourly compensation and related measures, including unit labor costs, in the
business and nonfarm business sectors were revised back to the first quarter
of 2014 to incorporate revised data used in the estimation of employee
compensation. In both sectors, annual average growth in unit labor costs was
revised up 0.1 percentage point in 2016, revised down 0.1 percentage point in
2015, and revised up 0.1 percentage point in 2014.
Full historical annual and quarterly measures can be found on the productivity
and costs home page: www.bls.gov/lpc/#data.
______________
==============================================================================
Methodology change for manufacturing output
Beginning with the Productivity and Costs news release scheduled for December
6, 2017, BLS plans to incorporate source data reflecting a change in
methodology for estimating manufacturing output. For more information see:
www.bls.gov/mfp/sectoraloutputrevisions.htm.
==============================================================================
The preliminary Productivity and Costs news release for third-quarter 2017 is
scheduled to be released on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).
=========================================================================================================================
Table A1. Labor productivity growth and related measures - revised second-quarter 2017
(percent change from previous quarter at annual rate and from same quarter a year ago)
Labor Hours Hourly Real hourly Unit labor
Sector Percent change from: productivity Output worked compensation compensation costs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nonfarm business Previous quarter 1.5 4.0 2.5 1.8 2.1 0.2
A year ago 1.3 2.8 1.5 1.1 -0.8 -0.2
Business Previous quarter 1.3 3.7 2.4 1.8 2.1 0.5
A year ago 1.3 2.6 1.3 1.3 -0.6 0.0
Manufacturing Previous quarter 2.9 2.1 -0.7 2.5 2.8 -0.4
A Year ago 1.1 1.6 0.5 1.3 -0.6 0.1
Durable Previous quarter 3.8 1.0 -2.7 3.1 3.5 -0.6
manufacturing A year ago 1.3 1.6 0.3 0.9 -1.0 -0.4
Nondurable Previous quarter 0.5 3.4 2.8 1.6 1.9 1.0
manufacturing A year ago 0.8 1.5 0.8 1.9 0.0 1.1
=========================================================================================================================
Table A2. Labor productivity growth and related measures - preliminary second-quarter 2017
(percent change from previous quarter at annual rate and from same quarter a year ago)
Labor Hours Hourly Real hourly Unit labor
Sector Percent change from: productivity Output worked compensation compensation costs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nonfinancial Previous quarter 4.6 7.8 3.1 1.9 2.2 -2.6
corporate A year ago 1.9 3.7 1.8 1.1 -0.8 -0.8
=========================================================================================================================
Table B1. Labor productivity growth and related measures - revised and previously published second-quarter 2017
(percent change from previous quarter at annual rate)
Labor Hours Hourly Real hourly Unit labor
Sector productivity Output worked compensation compensation costs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nonfarm business Revised 1.5 4.0 2.5 1.8 2.1 0.2
Previously published 0.9 3.4 2.5 1.6 1.9 0.6
Business Revised 1.3 3.7 2.4 1.8 2.1 0.5
Previously published 0.6 3.1 2.4 1.6 1.9 0.9
Manufacturing Revised 2.9 2.1 -0.7 2.5 2.8 -0.4
Previously published 2.5 1.6 -0.9 2.2 2.5 -0.3
Durable Revised 3.8 1.0 -2.7 3.1 3.5 -0.6
manufacturing Previously published 3.8 0.9 -2.7 3.0 3.3 -0.8
Nondurable Revised 0.5 3.4 2.8 1.6 1.9 1.0
manufacturing Previously published -0.1 2.3 2.4 1.1 1.4 1.2
=========================================================================================================================
Table B2. Labor productivity growth and related measures - revised and previously published first-quarter 2017
(percent change from previous quarter at annual rate)
Labor Hours Hourly Real hourly Unit labor
Sector productivity Output worked compensation compensation costs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nonfarm business Revised 0.1 1.8 1.6 4.9 1.7 4.8
Previously published 0.1 1.8 1.6 5.5 2.3 5.4
Business Revised -0.8 1.4 2.1 4.3 1.1 5.1
Previously published -0.8 1.4 2.1 4.9 1.7 5.7
Manufacturing Revised 0.2 2.3 2.1 4.4 1.2 4.3
Previously published 0.3 2.4 2.1 4.2 1.0 3.9
Durable Revised -1.0 2.6 3.6 2.5 -0.6 3.6
manufacturing Previously published -0.9 2.7 3.6 2.3 -0.9 3.2
Nondurable Revised 2.5 2.0 -0.5 8.0 4.7 5.3
manufacturing Previously published 2.6 2.1 -0.5 7.8 4.5 5.1
Nonfinancial Revised 2.0 4.1 2.0 4.3 1.1 2.3
corporate Previously published 2.0 4.0 2.0 4.2 1.0 2.2
=========================================================================================================================
TECHNICAL NOTES
Labor Hours
Hours data for the labor productivity and cost measures include hours worked
for all persons working in the sector—wage and salary workers, the self-
employed and unpaid family workers. The primary source of hours and employment
data is the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) program, which provides
monthly survey data on the number of jobs held by wage and salary workers in
nonfarm establishments, counting a person who is employed by two or more
establishments at each place of employment. The CES also provides average
weekly paid hours of production and nonsupervisory workers in these
establishments. Weekly paid hours are adjusted to hours worked using data from
the National Compensation Survey (NCS) for 1996 forward and data from the BLS
Hours at Work survey, conducted for this purpose, prior to 1990. Between 1990
and 1995, weekly paid hours are adjusted to hours at work using a combination
of NCS and Hours at Work survey data. The Office of Productivity and
Technology estimates average weekly hours at work for nonproduction and
supervisory workers using information from the Current Population Survey
(CPS), the CES, and the NCS.
Data from the CPS are used to estimate hours worked for farm labor, nonfarm
proprietors, and nonfarm unpaid family workers. Using CPS information on
employment and hours worked at primary jobs and all other jobs, separately,
the BLS productivity measures assign all hours worked to the appropriate
industrial sector. Hours for government enterprises are derived from the CPS,
the CES, and the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA) prepared by the
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the Department of Commerce.
Output
Business sector output is a chain-type, current-weighted index constructed
after excluding from gross domestic product (GDP) the following outputs:
general government, nonprofit institutions, and private households (including
owner-occupied housing). Corresponding exclusions also are made in labor
hours. Business output accounted for about 75 percent of the value of GDP in
2016. Nonfarm business, which excludes farming, also accounted for about 75
percent of GDP in 2016.
Annual indexes for manufacturing and its durable and nondurable goods
components are constructed by deflating current-dollar industry value of
production data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census with deflators from the
BLS. These deflators are based on data from the BLS producer price program and
other sources. The industry shipments are aggregated using annual weights, and
intrasector transactions are removed. Quarterly manufacturing output measures
are based on the indexes of industrial production prepared monthly by the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, adjusted to be consistent
with annual indexes of manufacturing sector output prepared by BLS.
Nonfinancial corporate output is a chain-type, current-weighted index
calculated on the basis of the costs incurred and the incomes earned from
production. The output measure excludes the following outputs from GDP:
general government; nonprofit institutions; private households; unincorporated
business; and those corporations classified as offices of bank holding
companies, offices of other holding companies, or offices in the finance and
insurance sector. Nonfinancial corporations accounted for about 50 percent of
the value of GDP in 2016.
Labor Productivity
The measure describes the relationship between real output and the labor time
involved in its production. Measures of labor productivity growth show the
changes from period to period in the amount of goods and services produced per
hour worked. They reflect the joint effects of many influences, including
changes in technology; capital investment; level of output; utilization of
capacity, energy, and materials; the organization of production; managerial
skill; and the characteristics and effort of the work force.
Labor Compensation
The measure includes accrued wages and salaries, supplements, employer
contributions to employee benefit plans, and taxes. Estimates of labor
compensation by major sector, required for measures of hourly compensation and
unit labor costs, are based primarily on employee compensation data from the
NIPA, prepared by the BEA. The compensation of employees in general
government, nonprofit institutions and private households are subtracted from
compensation of employees in domestic industries to derive employee
compensation for the business sector. The labor compensation of proprietors
cannot be explicitly identified and must be estimated. This is done by
assuming that proprietors have the same hourly compensation as employees in
the same sector. The quarterly labor productivity and cost measures do not
contain estimates of compensation for unpaid family workers.
Unit Labor Costs
These measures describe the relationship between compensation per hour and
labor productivity, or real output per hour, and can be used as an indicator
of inflationary pressure on producers. Increases in hourly compensation
increase unit labor costs; labor productivity increases offset compensation
increases and lower unit labor costs.
Presentation of the data
The quarterly data in this release are presented in three ways: as percent
changes from the previous quarter presented at a compound annual rate, as
percent changes from the corresponding quarter of the previous year, and as
index number series where 2009=100. Annual data are presented both as index
number series and percent changes from the previous year.
The index numbers and rates of change reported in the productivity and costs
news release are rounded to one decimal place. All percent changes in this
release and on the BLS web site are calculated using index numbers to three
decimal places. A complete historical series of these index numbers are
available at the BLS web site, www.bls.gov/data/home.htm, or by contacting the
BLS Division of Major Sector Productivity (Telephone 202-691-5606 or email
productivity@bls.gov).
For a more detailed explanation of methodology see "Technical Information
About the Major Sector Productivity and Costs Methods" at
www.bls.gov/lpc/lpcmethods.pdf.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory-impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5606; Federal Relay Service
number: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Business sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and prices,
seasonally adjusted.
Real
Hourly hourly Unit Implicit
Year Labor compen- compen- Unit nonlabor price
and produc- Hours sation sation labor payments deflator
quarter tivity Output worked (1) (2) costs (3) (4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)
2017 II 1.3 r 3.7 r 2.4 1.8 r 2.1 r 0.5 r 0.7 r 0.6
I -0.8 1.4 2.1 4.3 r 1.1 r 5.1 r -3.0 r 1.5
2016 ANNUAL 0.0 1.6 1.6 1.0 r -0.2 r 1.0 r 1.0 r 1.0
2016 IV 2.0 2.2 0.2 -3.7 r -6.5 r -5.5 r 13.3 r 2.2
III 2.7 3.3 0.6 2.8 r 1.0 r 0.1 r 2.5 r 1.1
II 0.6 2.6 2.0 4.4 r 2.0 r 3.7 r 0.0 r 2.1
I -1.1 0.4 1.5 -3.8 r -3.9 r -2.8 r 5.2 r 0.5
2015 ANNUAL 1.2 3.5 2.3 2.9 r 2.8 1.7 r -0.8 0.6
2015 IV -2.7 0.2 3.0 4.3 3.9 7.2 -9.3 -0.2
III 1.6 1.6 0.0 1.2 r -0.3 r -0.4 r 3.1 r 1.1
II 1.6 3.3 1.7 3.9 r 1.5 r 2.3 r 1.6 r 2.0
I 2.4 4.0 1.5 3.0 r 5.6 r 0.5 r -2.4 r -0.7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2017 II 1.3 r 2.6 r 1.3 1.3 r -0.6 r 0.0 3.2 1.3 r
I 1.1 2.4 1.2 1.9 r -0.7 r 0.8 3.0 r 1.7
2016 ANNUAL 0.0 1.6 1.6 1.0 r -0.2 r 1.0 r 1.0 r 1.0
2016 IV 1.0 2.1 1.1 -0.1 r -1.9 r -1.2 r 5.1 r 1.5
III -0.1 1.6 1.8 1.9 r 0.7 r 2.0 r -0.6 r 0.9
II -0.4 1.2 1.6 1.5 r 0.4 r 1.9 r -0.4 r 0.9
I -0.2 1.4 1.5 1.3 r 0.2 r 1.5 r 0.0 r 0.8
2015 ANNUAL 1.2 3.5 2.3 2.9 r 2.8 1.7 r -0.8 0.6
2015 IV 0.7 2.3 1.6 3.1 2.6 2.4 -1.9 0.5
III 0.9 2.8 1.9 3.2 3.0 r 2.3 -1.6 0.6
II 1.4 4.1 2.7 3.5 3.5 2.1 -1.1 0.7
I 1.6 4.8 3.1 1.9 1.9 r 0.3 1.5 0.8
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2017 II 107.8 r 122.9 r 114.0 r 117.3 r 103.2 r 108.8 r 115.8 r 111.7 r
I 107.5 121.8 113.3 116.8 r 102.7 r 108.7 r 115.6 r 111.6
2016 ANNUAL 106.9 120.3 112.5 115.7 r 103.4 r 108.2 r 113.4 r 110.4
2016 IV 107.7 121.4 112.7 115.6 r 102.4 r 107.3 r 116.5 r 111.2
III 107.2 120.8 112.7 116.7 r 104.1 r 108.9 r 112.9 r 110.5
II 106.5 119.8 112.5 115.9 r 103.9 r 108.8 r 112.2 r 110.2
I 106.3 119.0 112.0 114.6 r 103.3 r 107.8 r 112.2 r 109.7
2015 ANNUAL 106.9 118.4 110.7 114.5 r 103.7 r 107.1 r 112.3 r 109.3
2015 IV 106.6 118.9 111.5 115.8 r 104.4 r 108.6 r 110.8 r 109.5
III 107.3 118.8 110.7 114.6 r 103.4 r 106.7 r 113.5 r 109.6
II 106.9 118.4 110.7 114.2 r 103.5 r 106.9 r 112.6 r 109.3
I 106.5 117.4 110.3 113.1 r 103.1 r 106.3 r 112.2 r 108.7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 7, 2017
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 2. Nonfarm business sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and
prices, seasonally adjusted.
Real
Hourly hourly Unit Implicit
Year Labor compen- compen- Unit nonlabor price
and produc- Hours sation sation labor payments deflator
quarter tivity Output worked (1) (2) costs (3) (4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)
2017 II 1.5 r 4.0 r 2.5 1.8 r 2.1 r 0.2 r 1.0 r 0.6
I 0.1 1.8 1.6 4.9 r 1.7 r 4.8 r -3.9 r 0.9
2016 ANNUAL -0.1 1.5 1.6 1.0 r -0.2 r 1.1 r 1.4 r 1.2
2016 IV 1.3 2.2 1.0 -4.5 r -7.3 r -5.7 r 13.9 r 2.3
III 2.5 3.3 0.8 2.5 r 0.7 r 0.1 r 3.1 r 1.3
II 0.8 2.5 1.7 4.8 r 2.4 r 3.9 r 0.0 r 2.2
I -1.2 0.2 1.4 -3.8 r -3.9 r -2.7 r 5.8 r 0.9
2015 ANNUAL 1.3 3.4 2.1 3.1 r 3.0 1.8 r -0.3 r 0.9
2015 IV -2.6 0.3 2.9 4.5 4.1 7.2 -8.8 0.1
III 1.3 1.3 0.0 1.1 r -0.4 r -0.2 r 3.0 r 1.2
II 1.3 3.3 2.0 3.6 r 1.2 r 2.3 r 1.5 r 1.9
I 2.7 4.0 1.2 3.3 r 6.0 r 0.6 r -0.9 r 0.0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2017 II 1.3 r 2.8 r 1.5 1.1 r -0.8 r -0.2 3.3 1.3
I 1.2 2.5 1.3 1.9 -0.7 0.7 3.1 r 1.7
2016 ANNUAL -0.1 1.5 1.6 1.0 r -0.2 r 1.1 r 1.4 r 1.2
2016 IV 0.8 2.1 1.2 -0.3 r -2.1 r -1.2 r 5.6 r 1.7
III -0.1 1.6 1.7 1.9 r 0.8 r 2.1 r -0.1 r 1.1
II -0.4 1.1 1.5 1.6 r 0.5 r 2.0 -0.2 r 1.1
I -0.3 1.3 1.6 1.3 r 0.2 r 1.6 r 0.2 r 1.0
2015 ANNUAL 1.3 3.4 2.1 3.1 r 3.0 1.8 r -0.3 r 0.9
2015 IV 0.7 2.2 1.5 3.1 2.7 2.4 -1.4 0.8
III 0.8 2.7 1.9 3.3 3.1 r 2.4 -1.3 0.8
II 1.6 4.1 2.5 3.8 3.8 2.2 -0.5 1.0
I 1.9 4.7 2.8 2.3 2.3 r 0.4 2.0 r 1.1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2017 II 108.1 r 123.2 r 114.0 r 117.6 r 103.4 r 108.8 r 115.8 r 111.7 r
I 107.7 122.0 113.3 117.1 r 102.9 r 108.7 r 115.5 r 111.5
2016 ANNUAL 107.0 120.2 112.4 116.0 r 103.7 r 108.4 r 113.4 r 110.5
2016 IV 107.6 121.4 112.8 115.7 r 102.4 r 107.5 r 116.6 r 111.3
III 107.3 120.8 112.5 117.0 r 104.4 r 109.1 r 112.9 r 110.7
II 106.6 119.8 112.3 116.3 r 104.2 r 109.1 r 112.0 r 110.3
I 106.4 119.0 111.9 114.9 r 103.6 r 108.0 r 112.0 r 109.7
2015 ANNUAL 107.1 118.5 110.7 114.8 r 103.9 r 107.2 r 111.8 r 109.1
2015 IV 106.7 119.0 111.5 116.1 r 104.6 r 108.7 r 110.4 r 109.5
III 107.4 118.9 110.7 114.8 r 103.6 r 106.9 r 113.0 r 109.4
II 107.1 118.5 110.7 114.5 r 103.7 r 106.9 r 112.2 r 109.1
I 106.7 117.6 110.1 113.5 r 103.4 r 106.3 r 111.8 r 108.6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 7, 2017
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 3. Manufacturing sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor costs,
seasonally adjusted.
Real
Year Labor Hourly hourly Unit
and produc- Hours compensa- compensa- labor
quarter tivity Output worked tion (1) tion (2) costs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)
2017 II 2.9 r 2.1 r -0.7 r 2.5 r 2.8 r -0.4 r
I 0.2 r 2.3 r 2.1 4.4 r 1.2 r 4.3 r
2016 ANNUAL 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.7 -0.5 0.6
2016 IV 2.0 1.8 -0.2 -4.2 -7.1 -6.1
III -0.5 0.2 0.7 2.6 0.8 3.1
II -0.8 -0.9 -0.1 7.1 4.7 8.0
I 1.3 1.0 -0.3 -10.1 -10.2 -11.3
2015 ANNUAL -0.6 0.3 1.0 2.5 2.4 3.1
2015 IV -1.6 -0.6 1.0 9.1 8.7 10.9
III 2.3 1.1 -1.2 1.8 0.3 -0.5
II -0.4 -0.3 0.0 3.5 1.1 3.9
I -1.9 -2.3 -0.4 0.0 2.6 1.9
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2017 II 1.1 r 1.6 r 0.5 r 1.3 r -0.6 r 0.1
I 0.2 0.8 r 0.6 2.4 r -0.2 2.2 r
2016 ANNUAL 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.7 -0.5 0.6
2016 IV 0.5 0.5 0.0 -1.4 -3.1 -1.9
III -0.4 -0.1 0.3 1.9 0.7 2.3
II 0.3 0.1 -0.2 1.7 0.6 1.4
I 0.4 0.3 -0.1 0.8 -0.3 0.4
2015 ANNUAL -0.6 0.3 1.0 2.5 2.4 3.1
2015 IV -0.4 -0.5 -0.2 3.5 3.1 3.9
III -0.5 0.1 0.6 2.6 2.4 3.1
II -1.0 0.2 1.3 2.7 2.7 3.8
I -0.6 1.6 2.2 1.0 1.1 1.7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2017 II 119.9 r 129.8 r 108.3 r 113.3 r 99.7 r 94.5 r
I 119.1 r 129.2 r 108.5 112.7 r 99.0 r 94.6 r
2016 ANNUAL 118.7 128.1 107.8 111.5 99.7 93.9
2016 IV 119.0 128.4 107.9 111.4 98.7 93.6
III 118.5 127.9 107.9 112.6 100.5 95.1
II 118.6 127.8 107.8 111.9 100.3 94.4
I 118.9 128.1 107.8 110.0 99.2 92.6
2015 ANNUAL 118.5 127.8 107.8 110.7 100.2 93.4
2015 IV 118.5 127.8 107.9 113.0 101.9 95.4
III 118.9 128.0 107.6 110.6 99.8 92.9
II 118.3 127.6 107.9 110.1 99.7 93.1
I 118.4 127.7 107.9 109.1 99.4 92.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 7, 2017
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 4. Durable manufacturing sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor
costs, seasonally adjusted.
Real
Year Labor Hourly hourly Unit
and produc- Hours compensa- compensa- labor
quarter tivity Output worked tion (1) tion (2) costs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)
2017 II 3.8 1.0 r -2.7 3.1 r 3.5 r -0.6 r
I -1.0 r 2.6 r 3.6 2.5 r -0.6 r 3.6 r
2016 ANNUAL 0.1 -0.2 -0.3 1.0 -0.3 0.9
2016 IV 1.8 2.0 0.2 -4.3 -7.1 -6.0
III 0.7 1.0 0.3 2.5 0.7 1.7
II 1.9 0.2 -1.6 9.5 7.0 7.5
I -0.6 0.1 0.7 -11.4 -11.5 -10.9
2015 ANNUAL -1.3 -0.8 0.6 3.0 2.9 4.4
2015 IV -3.1 -2.5 0.7 10.8 10.4 14.4
III 2.6 0.5 -2.0 1.4 -0.2 -1.2
II -0.8 -1.3 -0.5 2.8 0.5 3.6
I -3.9 -4.9 -1.1 2.0 4.6 6.1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2017 II 1.3 1.6 r 0.3 0.9 r -1.0 r -0.4 r
I 0.8 r 1.4 r 0.6 2.4 -0.1 r 1.6 r
2016 ANNUAL 0.1 -0.2 -0.3 1.0 -0.3 0.9
2016 IV 1.0 0.8 -0.1 -1.2 -3.0 -2.2
III -0.3 -0.3 0.0 2.4 1.3 2.8
II 0.2 -0.4 -0.6 2.2 1.1 2.0
I -0.5 -0.8 -0.3 0.6 -0.5 1.1
2015 ANNUAL -1.3 -0.8 0.6 3.0 2.9 4.4
2015 IV -1.3 -2.0 -0.7 4.2 3.7 5.6
III -0.9 -1.2 -0.3 3.0 2.9 4.0
II -1.7 -0.8 0.9 3.3 3.3 5.1
I -1.3 1.1 2.4 1.6 1.7 2.9
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2017 II 120.9 r 133.8 r 110.6 r 112.5 r 98.9 r 93.0 r
I 119.8 r 133.4 r 111.4 111.6 r 98.1 r 93.2 r
2016 ANNUAL 119.5 131.9 110.4 110.9 99.1 92.8
2016 IV 120.1 132.6 110.4 111.0 98.3 92.4
III 119.6 131.9 110.3 112.2 100.1 93.8
II 119.4 131.6 110.2 111.5 99.9 93.4
I 118.8 131.5 110.7 109.0 98.2 91.7
2015 ANNUAL 119.4 132.1 110.7 109.8 99.4 92.0
2015 IV 119.0 131.5 110.5 112.3 101.3 94.4
III 119.9 132.3 110.3 109.5 98.8 91.3
II 119.2 132.2 110.9 109.1 98.9 91.6
I 119.4 132.6 111.0 108.4 98.7 90.7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 7, 2017
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 5. Nondurable manufacturing sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor
costs, seasonally adjusted.
Real
Year Labor Hourly hourly Unit
and produc- Hours compensa- compensa- labor
quarter tivity Output worked tion (1) tion (2) costs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)
2017 II 0.5 r 3.4 r 2.8 r 1.6 r 1.9 r 1.0 r
I 2.5 r 2.0 r -0.5 8.0 r 4.7 r 5.3 r
2016 ANNUAL 0.2 0.6 0.5 0.4 -0.9 0.2
2016 IV 2.3 1.5 -0.8 -4.3 -7.2 -6.5
III -2.2 -0.8 1.5 2.8 1.0 5.2
II -4.5 -2.2 2.5 3.0 0.7 7.9
I 4.0 2.1 -1.8 -7.7 -7.8 -11.3
2015 ANNUAL -0.1 1.6 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.6
2015 IV 0.0 1.5 1.4 6.1 5.7 6.0
III 1.6 1.8 0.2 2.8 1.2 1.2
II -0.2 0.7 1.0 4.8 2.4 5.0
I 0.2 0.9 0.7 -3.5 -1.0 -3.7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2017 II 0.8 r 1.5 r 0.8 r 1.9 r 0.0 r 1.1
I -0.5 0.1 0.7 2.3 r -0.3 2.8
2016 ANNUAL 0.2 0.6 0.5 0.4 -0.9 0.2
2016 IV -0.2 0.2 0.3 -1.7 -3.4 -1.5
III -0.7 0.1 0.9 0.9 -0.2 1.6
II 0.2 0.8 0.6 0.9 -0.2 0.7
I 1.3 1.5 0.2 1.3 0.2 0.0
2015 ANNUAL -0.1 1.6 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.6
2015 IV 0.4 1.2 0.8 2.5 2.0 2.1
III -0.6 1.6 2.2 1.9 1.8 2.5
II -0.4 1.5 1.9 1.7 1.7 2.1
I 0.3 2.1 1.9 -0.2 -0.1 -0.4
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2017 II 113.5 r 118.7 r 104.5 r 114.4 r 100.6 r 100.8 r
I 113.4 r 117.7 r 103.8 113.9 r 100.1 r 100.5 r
2016 ANNUAL 112.8 117.0 103.7 112.1 100.2 99.4
2016 IV 112.7 117.1 103.9 111.8 99.0 99.2
III 112.0 116.6 104.1 113.0 100.8 100.9
II 112.6 116.9 103.8 112.2 100.6 99.6
I 114.0 117.5 103.1 111.4 100.4 97.7
2015 ANNUAL 112.6 116.3 103.2 111.7 101.1 99.2
2015 IV 112.8 116.9 103.6 113.6 102.5 100.7
III 112.8 116.5 103.2 112.0 101.1 99.2
II 112.4 116.0 103.2 111.2 100.8 99.0
I 112.5 115.8 102.9 109.9 100.2 97.7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 7, 2017
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 6. Nonfinancial corporate sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs,
unit profits, and prices, seasonally adjusted.
Real
Hourly hourly Unit Total Implicit
Year Labor compen- compen- Unit nonlabor unit Unit price
and produc- Hours sation sation labor costs costs profits deflator
quarter tivity Output worked (1) (2) costs (6) (7) (8) (4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)
2017 II 4.6 7.8 3.1 1.9 2.2 -2.6 -2.9 -2.7 14.3 -0.6
I 2.0 4.1 r 2.0 4.3 r 1.1 r 2.3 r -1.0 r 1.2 -2.7 r 0.7
2016 ANNUAL -0.1 1.4 1.5 1.1 -0.2 1.2 -0.5 0.7 -5.3 -0.2
2016 IV -4.5 -3.9 0.6 -3.6 -6.5 0.9 9.2 3.5 -2.8 2.7
III 5.9 7.4 1.5 1.9 0.1 -3.7 -4.5 -4.0 7.3 -2.6
II -2.0 -0.6 1.4 3.7 1.4 5.9 1.7 4.5 -28.8 -0.8
I 0.5 1.1 0.6 -1.8 -1.9 -2.3 -13.0 -5.9 47.7 0.0
2015 ANNUAL 1.4 3.6 2.2 3.0 2.9 1.6 0.4 1.2 -5.1 0.3
2015 IV -1.4 1.5 3.0 3.4 3.0 4.9 13.8 7.7 -41.5 -0.9
III 0.7 2.5 1.8 0.5 -1.0 -0.2 -0.1 -0.2 5.3 0.6
II -2.0 -0.9 1.1 2.7 0.4 4.8 4.0 4.5 -1.3 3.7
I 3.3 4.6 1.3 7.1 9.9 3.7 -2.2 1.8 -23.7 -2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2017 II 1.9 3.7 1.8 1.1 -0.8 -0.8 0.1 -0.5 3.8 0.0
I 0.3 1.7 r 1.4 1.5 -1.0 1.3 1.2 1.3 -7.8 0.0
2016 ANNUAL -0.1 1.4 1.5 1.1 -0.2 1.2 -0.5 0.7 -5.3 -0.2
2016 IV -0.1 0.9 1.0 0.0 -1.8 0.1 -2.0 -0.6 2.3 -0.2
III 0.7 2.3 1.6 1.8 0.6 1.1 -1.0 0.4 -9.9 -1.1
II -0.6 1.1 1.7 1.4 0.3 2.0 0.1 1.4 -10.3 -0.3
I -0.6 1.1 1.6 1.2 0.1 1.7 0.7 1.4 -2.6 0.8
2015 ANNUAL 1.4 3.6 2.2 3.0 2.9 1.6 0.4 1.2 -5.1 0.3
2015 IV 0.1 1.9 1.8 3.4 3.0 3.3 3.7 3.4 -17.5 0.2
III 1.0 2.8 1.8 3.3 3.1 2.3 0.1 1.6 -6.1 0.4
II 1.8 3.9 2.1 3.5 3.5 1.6 -0.4 1.0 -2.1 0.5
I 2.7 6.0 3.2 1.9 2.0 -0.8 -1.8 -1.1 7.6 0.1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 2009=100
2017 II 109.2 127.2 116.5 116.9 102.8 107.0 100.1 104.7 139.2 108.3
I 108.0 r 124.9 r 115.7 116.3 r 102.2 r 107.7 r 100.9 r 105.4 r 134.6 r 108.5
2016 ANNUAL 107.7 123.5 114.6 115.4 103.1 107.1 99.9 104.7 138.0 108.2
2016 IV 107.4 123.6 115.1 115.1 101.9 107.1 101.1 105.1 135.5 108.3
III 108.7 124.9 114.9 116.2 103.7 106.9 98.9 104.2 136.5 107.6
II 107.1 122.6 114.5 115.6 103.6 107.9 100.1 105.3 134.1 108.3
I 107.7 122.8 114.1 114.6 103.3 106.4 99.7 104.1 146.0 108.5
2015 ANNUAL 107.9 121.8 112.9 114.1 103.3 105.8 100.5 104.0 145.8 108.4
2015 IV 107.5 122.5 113.9 115.1 103.8 107.0 103.2 105.7 132.4 108.5
III 107.9 122.0 113.1 114.1 103.0 105.7 99.9 103.8 151.4 108.8
II 107.8 121.3 112.6 114.0 103.3 105.8 99.9 103.8 149.5 108.6
I 108.3 121.6 112.2 113.2 103.2 104.6 98.9 102.7 150.0 107.6
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. September 7, 2017
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
SOURCES: Output data are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Census
Bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce; the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.
Department of Labor; and the Federal Reserve Board. Hours and compensation data
are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
RELIABILITY: Productivity and cost measures are regularly revised as more
complete information becomes available. The measures are first published
within 40 days of the close of the reference period; revisions appear 30 days
later, and second revisions after an additional 60 days. In the business
sector, the third publication (second revision) of a quarterly index of output
per hour of all persons has differed from the initial value by between -1.5 and
1.4 index points approximately 95 percent of the time. This interval is based
on the performance of this measure between the fourth quarter of 1995 and the
first quarter of 2017.
Table Footnotes
(1) Wages and salaries of employees plus employers' contributions for social
insurance and private benefit plans. Except for nonfinancial corporations,
where there are no self-employed, data also include an estimate of wages,
salaries, and supplemental payments for the self-employed.
(2) The change for recent quarters is based on the Consumer Price Index for
all urban consumers (CPI-U). The trend from 1978-2016 is based on the Consumer
Price Index research series (CPI-U-RS).
(3) Unit nonlabor payments include profits, consumption of fixed capital,
taxes on production and imports less subsidies, net interest and miscellaneous
payments, business current transfer payments, rental income of persons, and the
current surplus of government enterprises.
(4) Current dollar output divided by the output index.
(5) Quarterly changes: Percent change compounded at annual rate is calculated
using index numbers to three decimal places. Indexes published in the news
release are rounded to one decimal place for convenience. Annual changes:
Percent change is calculated using annual indexes to three decimal places.
(6) Unit nonlabor costs include consumption of fixed capital, taxes on
production and imports less subsidies, net interest and miscellaneous
payments, and business current transfer payments.
(7) Total unit costs are the sum of unit labor and nonlabor costs.
(8) Unit profits include corporate profits before tax with inventory valuation
and capital consumption adjustments.
United States Department of Labor
