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Economic Report of the President

Economic Report of the President - 2005 - The American Presidency ...

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ProductivityRecent productivity growth has been extraordinary. Nonfarm productivityhas grown at a 4.2 percent annual rate since <strong>the</strong> business-cycle peak in <strong>the</strong> firstquarter <strong>of</strong> 2001, a period that includes both recession and recovery. This is a1.8 percentage point acceleration from <strong>the</strong> already rapid 2.4 percent annualgrowth rate recorded from 1995 to 2001 (Chart 1-4).Although <strong>the</strong> cause <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1995 acceleration is not well understood,plausible explanations have been <strong>of</strong>fered relating to capital deepening, especially<strong>of</strong> informational and organizational capital. But none <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>seexplanations helps to explain <strong>the</strong> post-2000 productivity acceleration, whichoccurred despite a slowing <strong>of</strong> investment in both conventional capital goodsand information technology (IT).Wages and PricesFollowing very low inflation during 2003, most measures <strong>of</strong> inflationincreased during 2004, with <strong>the</strong> largest increases in those price indexes thatinclude energy. For example, <strong>the</strong> consumer price index (CPI) increased3.3 percent over <strong>the</strong> 12 months <strong>of</strong> 2004, well above <strong>the</strong> 1.9 percent riseChapter 1 | 39

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