U.S. Economy: Productivity Fell in Second Quarter

Productivity in the U.S. unexpectedly decreased in the second quarter after employers expanded the workweek by the most in four years even as the world’s largest economy cooled.

The measure of employee output per hour fell at a 0.9 percent annual rate, the first drop since late 2008, the Labor Department said today in Washington. Hours worked climbed at a 3.6 percent rate, leading to a 2.6 percent increase in the amount of goods and services produced.