the numbers us productivity rose at a 3 annual clip in the fourth quarter the government said thursday that’s the fastest pace for the year economists surveyed by the wall street journal had projected a 25 increase in all of 2022 us productivity declined at a 13 rate that’s the lowest annual rate since 1974 some economists point to the postpandemic return of workers in sectors like leisure and hospitality and health care key details output in the fourth quarter rose 23 hours worked rose 05 outside of the pandemic that is the lowest level of hours worked since the fourth quarter of 2019 unitlabor costs a key measure of wages rose 11 in the fourth quarter that’s down from a 2 rate in the third quarter economists has expected a 15 gain for all of 2022 unit labor costs rose 57 that’s the fastest pace since 1982 real hourly compensation rose 1 in the fourth quarter after a 22 drop in the prior quarter for the year real compensation is down 34 productivity in the manufacturing sector fell at a 15 rate in the fourth quarter and was down 09 for the year big picture if the fourth quarter trends continue productivity could be returning to a rising trend but that is a big if it remains an open question how the trend of working from home impacts productivity unit labor costs reflects higher wages economists said the gain was not consistent with the fed’s 2 target market reaction stocks djia spx were set to open mixed on thursday following fed chairman jerome powell’s news conference the yield on the 10year treasury note tmubmusd10y slipped to 337