Productivity up but Still Lagging.

Productivity and Costs (2ndQ2015)

– Nonfarm productivity quarter/quarter, seasonally adjusted annualized   +1.3%. Previous was -1.1%.
– Unit labor costs quarter/quarter, seasonally adjusted annualized   +0.5%. Previous was +2.3%.

Productivity is GDP/hours worked.  This is a piece of data which one would expect to be rising due to technology.  Instead it has been remarkably stagnant for about 6 years.

 
Redbook Chain Store Sales (week ended 8/8/2005)

– Store Sales year/year  +1.9%. Previous was +1.7%

 

Wholesale Trade (June 2015)

– Inventories month/month +0.9%. Previous was +0.6%.

This is a GDP component.

 

NFIB Small Business Optimism Index  (July 2015)

– level 95.4. Previous was 94.1.