US productivity beats forecasts

US workers were more productive than many analysts had forecast during the first three months of the year, figures from the Labor Department have shown, reported The BBC.

Productivity, or the total output per hour of work, rose at an annual rate of 2.2% in the first quarter, the Labor Department said.

Analysts had expected an increase of closer to 1.5%, and said the increase came as firms cut back on worker hours.

The cost of labour rose by 2.2%, slower than in the previous three months.