The decrease in productivity reflects increases of 0.1 percent in output and 2.2 percent in hours worked. (All quarterly percent changes in this release are seasonally adjusted annual rates.)
From the fourth quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2012, productivity increased 0.6 percent as output and hours worked rose 2.4 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively.
Annual average productivity increased 1.0 percent from 2011 to 2012.
Source: USDOL-BLS
The 19 major work stoppages beginning in 2012 equaled the total from 2011.
Major work stoppages beginning in 2012 idled 148,000 workers, higher than 2011 with 113,000 idled workers.
In 2012, there were 1.13 million days idle from major work stoppages in effect, also higher than 2011 with 1.02 million days idle.
Source: USDOL-BLS
Each mass layoff involved at least 50 workers from a single employer.
There were 8 Connecticut mass layoff events in the same month a year ago, and the number of associated initial claims was 547.
Nationally, employers took 1,528 mass layoff actions involving 144,517 workers, nsa.
U.S. mass layoff events in the latest month decreased by 177 from the same month a year ago, but the number of associated initial claims increased by 2,814.
Source: USDOL-BLS
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In the week ending February 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 344,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 366,000 and down 7.8% from the same week a year ago. The 4-week moving average was 355,000, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average of 361,750. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending February 16, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate. The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 9 were in Alaska (6.5), Puerto Rico (4.3), Montana (4.2), New Jersey (4.2), Pennsylvania (4.2), Rhode Island (4.1), Wisconsin (4.0), California (3.9), Idaho (3.8), Illinois (3.8), and Massachusetts (3.8). The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 16 were in California (+26,683), Connecticut (+1,747), Massachusetts (+883), and New Mexico (+5), while the largest decreases were in Illinois (-3,285), Kansas (-3,114), Pennsylvania (-2,865), Florida (-2,442), and Ohio (-2,265). Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits. Source: USDOL-BLS |
In the third quarter, real GDP increased 3.1 percent.
The full text of the release on BEA's Web site can be found at www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdpnewsrelease.htm
Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $18.2 billion, or 0.2 percent.
In December, personal income increased $353.4 billion, or 2.6 percent, DPI increased $325.7 billion, or 2.7 percent, and PCE increased $14.8 billion, or 0.1 percent, based on revised estimates.
The full text of the release on BEA's Web site can be found at www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/pinewsrelease.htm
Source: Hartford Courant
