June 7, 2012 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

First quarter 2012 nonfarm business sector productivity

Percent change from previous quarter at an annual rate, nonfarm business labor productivity, output, and hours, first quarter 2008–first quarter 2012
Year	Quarter	Productivity	Output	Hours
2008	I	-2.6	-3.6	-1.1
	II	2.4	0.4	-2.0
	III	-0.8	-5.2	-4.4
	IV	-3.4	-12.7	-9.7
2009	I	1.3	-8.7	-9.9
	II	8.3	-1.1	-8.7
	III	6.4	1.4	-4.7
	IV	5.3	5.6	0.2
2010	I	4.5	5.2	0.6
	II	1.2	4.6	3.3
	III	1.8	3.5	1.7
	IV	1.8	3.8	1.9
2011	I	-1.0	0.9	1.9
	II	-0.3	1.8	2.2
	III	1.8	2.8	1.0
	IV	1.2	3.7	2.4
2012	I	-0.9	2.4	3.3

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