Bloomberg.com: U.S.

Bloomberg.com: U.S.: ".S. Economy: Productivity Increases as Firms Reduce Employment
By Shobhana Chandra

Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Worker productivity in the U.S. grew in the second quarter as employers trimmed payrolls to weather the economic slump.

Productivity, a measure of employee output per hour, rose at a 2.2 percent annual rate, the Labor Department said today in Washington. The gain, which follows a 2.6 percent increase in the previous three months, was less than anticipated. Labor costs climbed at a 1.3 percent pace, also less than forecast."