July 2010 Real Earnings — 2010-08-13

Real average hourly earnings for all employees fell 0.2 percent from June to July, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This decrease stems from a 0.2 percent increase in average hourly earnings combined with a 0.3 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). Real average weekly earnings rose 0.2 percent over the month, as a result of a 0.3 percent increase in the average work week combined with the decrease in real average hourly earnings. Since reaching a recent low in October 2009, real average weekly earnings have risen 2.0 percent. Real average hourly earnings rose 0.4 percent, seasonally adjusted, from July 2009 to July 2010. A 1.2 percent increase in average weekly hours, combined with the increase in real average hourly earnings resulted in a 1.6 percent increase in real average weekly earnings during this period.