USA: Real Earnings Fall in January
Real average weekly earnings fell by 0.5 percent from December 2007 to January 2008 after seasonal adjustment, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. A 0.3 percent decrease in average weekly hours and a 0.4 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers were partially offset by a 0.2 percent increase in average hourly earnings.
Data on average weekly earnings are collected from the payroll reports of private non-farm establishments. Earnings of both full-time and part-time workers holding production or non-supervisory jobs are included.
Before adjustment for seasonal change and inflation, average weekly earnings were $592.74 in January 2008, compared with $573.14 a year earlier.
January 2008 earnings of production and non-supervisory workers
on private non-farm payrolls not seasonally adjusted
| Industry | Average Weekly Earnings $ (£) | 12 Month % change |
| Goods-producing | 755.2 (380.62) | 3.4 |
| Natural resources and mining | 988.61 (498.26) | 6.6 |
| Construction | 802.72 (404.57) | 3.6 |
| Manufacturing | 717.8 (361.77) | 3.1 |
| Private service-providing | 559.21 (281.84) | 3.6 |
| Trade, transportation, and utilities | 526.4 (265.31) | 2.6 |
| Wholesale trade | 759.14 (382.61) | 4.8 |
| Retail trade | 378.88 (190.96) | 0.4 |
| Transportation and warehousing |
659.13 (332.20) | 3.1 |
| Utilities | 1180.2 (594.82) | 4 |
| Information | 875.16 (441.08) | 1.4 |
| Financial activities | 707.65 (356.66) | 3 |
| Professional and business services | 704.48 (360.10) | 4.6 |
| Education and health services | 603.61 (304.22) | 4.8 |
| Leisure and hospitality | 260.84 (131.46) | 3.1 |
| Other services | 460.68 (232.18) | 4.3 |
exchange rate used $1.00 = £0.504
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