[Marxism] Beige Book, and Comparisons of Productivity, Unit Labor costs

[S. Artesian]

Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts suggest that national 
economic conditions deteriorated further during the reporting period of 
January through late February.  Ten of the twelve reports indicated weaker 
conditions or declines in economic activity; the exceptions were 
Philadelphia and Chicago, which reported that their regional economies 
"remained weak."  The deterioration was broad based, with only a few sectors 
such as basic food production and pharmaceuticals appearing to be 
exceptions.  Looking ahead, contacts from various Districts rate the 
prospects for near-term improvement in economic conditions as poor, with a 
significant pickup not expected before late 2009 or early 2010.
full at: 
http://www.federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2009/20090304/default.htm


And:

INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS OF MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY AND UNIT LABOR COST 
TRENDS 2007, REVISED

Manufacturing labor productivity increased in 2007 in 14 of the 17 economies 
compared by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 
Republic of Korea and Taiwan had the largest productivity increases of 8.7 
percent each. The United States productivity increase of 4.7 percent was the 
fourth largest.

full at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/prod4.pdf