"Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased 3.2% in the fourth quarter of 2022, reflecting a 4.9% increase in hourly compensation and a 1.7% increase in productivity," the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Thursday. This reading came much higher than the market expectation for an increase of 1.6%.
"Unit labor costs increased 6.3% over the last four quarters," the BLS further noted in its publication and said that nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased 1.7% in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The US Dollar gathered strength after this data and the US Dollar Index was last seen rising 0.66% on the day at 105.07.