Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Non-farm labor productivity in the United States increased 4.6% in the third quarter following a historic rise of more than 10% in the second, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.
The preliminary productivity figure for the July-October period, which calculates hourly output per worker, was revised down from a 4.9% gain estimated last month, the department said in its report.
The continued gains in U.S. productivity reflect somewhat of an economic recovery from widespread layoffs and business lockdowns in the spring during the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department also said in its report that gains in non-farm output goods and services produced for Q3 was little changed at 43.4%, while hours worked was 37.1%.
The third-quarter numbers, however, do not reflect a new wave of lockdowns and business closures this fall, ordered to get control of rising coronavirus cases.
Second-quarter productivity grew 10.6%, the most in a three-month period since 1971, and came as the economy grew by a historic 33%. The expansion was aided by more than $3 trillion in government aid.
The department's preliminary estimate for fourth-quarter productivity will be released in February.
