August 2008

Source: Statistics Canada

The Canadian price indexes for manufactured goods and raw materials registered lower monthly growth in July than in the previous four months, increasing 0.4% and 1.4% respectively, primarily as a result of the slowdown in the rise of petroleum prices.

From June to July, prices charged by Canadian manufacturers, as measured by the Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI), rose 0.4%, down from the average monthly growth rate of 1.5% observed from March to June. The increase in the index in July was almost entirely attributable to a 2.4% rise in the prices for petroleum and coal products, which was the lowest rate in five months.

The prices for products other than petroleum and coal …

New orders for manufactured durable goods in July increased $2.9 billion or 1.3% to $219.3 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This was the third consecutive monthly increase and followed a 1.3% June increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.7%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.8%.
 
Shipments of manufactured durable goods in July, up three of the last four months, increased $5.3 billion or 2.5% to $218.3 billion. This followed a 0.9% June increase.
 
Unfilled orders for manufactured durable goods in July, up 29 of the last 30 months, increased $6.6 billion or 0.8% to $824.4 billion. This was also at the highest level since the series was first stated on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.9% June …

Labor productivity -defined as output per hour -increased in wholesale in 2007 by 2.1% from 2006 to 2007, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Output per hour and unit labor costs increased as well.
 
Between 1987 and 2007, labor productivity in wholesale trade increased at a 3.3% average annual rate.
 
Output per hour grew in 12 of 19 detailed wholesale trade industries in 2007. Commercial equipment wholesalers experienced the largest productivity gain, 13.7 percent. Unit labor costs fell in seven of the 19 detailed industries, but rose 1.9 percent in wholesale trade overall.
 
From 1987 to 2007, labor productivity rose 3.3% per year in wholesale trade, on average. Output increased 4.1% per year and hours grew 0.7% per year. …