Nonfarm productivity in the USA fell at a 1.9% annual rate in 4Q, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The data revised from 2.0% prior.
The output per hour of all workers fell to the lowest rate since4Q 2008.
In all of 2012, productivity rose 0.7%, which was revised downward from the earlier reading but still slightly stronger than the 0.6% increase of 2011. Unit labor costs rose 4.6% vs 4.5% reported prior.