Revision of fourth-quarter productivity growth

March 08, 2006

In the nonfarm business sector, productivity—as measured by output per hour—fell at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 0.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005. This was slightly less than the 0.6-percent decline reported previously.

[Chart data—TXT]

Nonfarm business productivity last declined during the first quarter of 2001, when it fell 0.6 percent.

Output in the nonfarm business sector grew at an annual rate of 1.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005; the preliminary estimate was 0.9 percent.

Hours of all persons were up 2.0 percent, following an initially reported estimate of 1.5 percent.

These data are from the BLS Productivity and Costs program. Data in this report are seasonally adjusted annual rates. These estimates are subject to revision. Additional information is available in "Productivity and Costs, Fourth Quarter and Annual Averages, 2005 Revised" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 06-394.