U.S. Labor Productivity Rises More Than Expected In Q2

(RTTNews) - Labor productivity in the U.S. increased by more than anticipated in the second quarter, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Friday, with the jump in productivity contributing to a smaller than expected increase in labor costs.

The report said labor productivity climbed by 2.5 percent in the second quarter compared to economist estimate for an increase of 1.5 percent.

The Labor Department also said unit labor costs edged up by 0.6 percent in the second quarter, well below the 1.4 percent growth expected by economists.

At the same time, the report said labor productivity in the first quarter tumbled by a revised 4.5 percent, contributing to an 11.8 percent jump in unit labor costs.