U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics@bls · official source
Productivity increases 1.4% in Q2 2026; unit labor costs increase 1.3% (annual rates)
· via BLS
Key points
- Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased 1.3 percent in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting a 2.7-percent increase in hourly compensation and a 1.4-percent increase in productivity.
- Unit labor costs increased 1.4 percent over the last four quarters.
- Unit labor costs in the total manufacturing sector were unchanged in the second quarter of 2026, as a 1.9-percent increase in hourly compensation was offset by a 1.9-percent increase in productivity.
- The upward revision to productivity translated to a 0.5-percentage point downward revision to first-quarter unit labor costs, to a rate of 1.3 percent; hourly compensation was not revised.
- Unit labor costs in the nonfinancial corporate sector were revised down 0.7 percentage point to an increase of 0.7 percent.
Official source
BLSAug 6, 2026Official release ↗
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