Industry News
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December '05 US Employment Situation
In December, manufacturing employment increased by 18,000, after edging
up in November. Most of December’s increase occurred in durable goods, which
added 15,000 jobs. Employment rose in several of the component industries,
including wood products and computer and electronic products. -
Qtr 3 '05 Productivity: Durable goods manufacturing increases 7.5%, hours unchanged
Productivity increased 4.5 percent in manufacturing in the third quarter
of 2005 as output grew 3.1 percent and hours of all persons fell 1.4 percent
(seasonally adjusted annual rates). In durable goods industries,
productivity and output both grew 7.5 percent in the third quarter while
hours of all persons were unchanged. Productivity increased 1.7 percent in
nondurable goods, where output fell 2.1 percent but hours fell faster, 3.7
percent (tables 3, 4, and 5). -
CPI Rises 1.2%, 3-mo Compound Annual Rate for Energy hits 122.1%
The U.S. Consumer Price Index rose 1.2% in Septmber for all wage earners coming to 4.7% for the year ended in September.Petroleum based energy products increased 17.4% to finish the first nine months of 2005 at 67.9%.
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September Unemployment Rate Rises .2%
The unemployment rate for all workers increased .2 percent in September, 2005. Some adjustments to calculations were made to compensate for the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
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August 2005 U.S. IMPORT AND EXPORT PRICE INDEXES
The price index for U.S. imports increased 1.3 percent in August, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.
Rising petroleum prices led the increase for the third consecutive month.
U.S. export prices declined 0.1 percent in August after a modest 0.1 percent
upturn in July. -
August '05 CPI: CPI +.5 percent, 3-Month Compound Rate: Energy: 38.2, Transportation: 15.6
The consumer price index increased .5 percent over the month of August while energy costs took a huge jump of 5 percent. The compounding annual rate for transportation was over the past three months for all consumers was 15.6 and energy was 38.2 The data tables may not align correctly in your browser. Refer to the original release for proper data alignement.
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Producer Price Index August 2005
The materials for durable manufacturing index declined 0.8 percent in
August, after moving down 0.9 percent in July. In August, deceasing prices
for both hot and cold rolled steel sheet and strip; cold finished steel
bars; hot rolled steel bars, plates, and structural shapes; aluminum mill
shapes; building paper and board; and plywood more than offset increasing
prices for primary nonferrous metals, copper and brass mill shapes,
semifinished steel mill products, and prepared paint.However, this price index for the industry machinery manufactureres increased 3.4 percent from a year ago and .2% from a month earlier.
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U.S Productivity Revised for Second Quarter 2005
The gains in productivity rates for total manufacturing were revised down a half a point from 4.1 to 3.6 percent. Hourly compensation for all manufacturing workers rose 8.4 percent while the total number of hours of fell 2.7 percent. Unit labor costs increased to 4.7 percent from 2.8 in the first quarter 2005.
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U.S. Employment Situation Summary for August 2005
The manufacturing sector is down 110,000 jobs for the year while the financial service sector has added 507,000 jobs for the year. Since February, the number of persons unemployed due to job loss has de-
clined by 490,000, to 3.5 million in August. The decline in this group has accounted for most of the decrease in total unemployment over the period. -
Interpreting the Employment Situation
Often, national employment and unemployment rates can give a clouded description of the labor force and the true employment situation. However, the BLS does publish data that can provide a little more insight as to the actual performance. Here are some reasons that the numbers can be misleading as well as basic figures that can be used to assist in interpreting the figures.
