The U.S. Labor Department released non-farm productivity figures on Thursday. Productivity in the U.S. non-farm businesses fell at a 1.8% annual rate in the fourth quarter, missing expectations for a 0.9% increase, after a 3.7% gain in the third quarter. The second quarter's figure was revised up from a 2.3% rise.

Unit labour costs increased 2.7% in the fourth quarter, exceeding expectations for a 1.1% rise, after a 2.3 decline in the third quarter. The third quarter's figure was revised down from a 1.0% fall.

These figures indicate that the U.S. economy slowed down in the final months of 2014.