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US: Unit labor costs in nonfarm business sector increased 0.9% in Q3

"Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased 2.3 percent during the third quarter of 2018," the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on Thursday.

Key takeaways from the press release

  • Output increased 4.1 percent and hours worked increased 1.8 percent.
  • From the third quarter of 2017 to the third quarter of 2018, productivity increased 1.3 percent, reflecting a 3.7-percent increase in output and a 2.3-percent increase in hours worked. 
  • Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased 0.9 percent in the third quarter of 2018,  reflecting a 3.1-percent increase in hourly compensation and a 2.3-percent increase in labor productivity. 
  • Unit labor costs also increased 0.9 percent over the last four quarters. 

Author

Eren Sengezer

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

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