Material Is Embargoed — 1999-08-05

The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported preliminary productivity data--as measured by output per hour of all persons-- for the second quarter of 1999. The preliminary seasonally adjusted annual rates of productivity change in the second quarter were: 1.6 percent in the business sector and 1.3 percent in the nonfarm business sector. In both the business and nonfarm business sectors, productivity grew less in the second quarter than in the first quarter, when output per hour of all persons (as revised) rose 3.9 percent in the business sector and 3.6 percent in the nonfarm business sector. 4.9 percent in manufacturing, 9.0 percent in durable goods manufacturing, and -0.3 percent in nondurable goods manufacturing. Productivity rose 4.9 percent in the manufacturing sector in the second quarter as output increased 4.2 percent and hours of all persons fell 0.7 percent. In the first quarter, manufacturing productivity rose 6.3 percent.