Productivity of U.S. companies fell 0.9% in the second quarter, the Labor Department said on August 10.
Manufacturing sector productivity grew 4.5% in the second quarter of 2010, as output rose 8.3% and hours worked increased 3.6%.
Durable manufacturing sector productivity increased 11.2% as the increase in output outpaced the increase in hours. The reverse was true for nondurable manufacturing industries, where
productivity decreased 2.8%, given that the increase in hours was larger than the increase in output.
Unit labor costs in manufacturing declined 6.1% in the second quarter of 2010 and fell 6.9% over the last four quarters
From the second quarter of 2009 to the second quarter of 2010, both productivity and
output increased 3.9%; hours were unchanged.