In a separate report, the Labor Department said U.S. workers suffered the biggest decline in inflation-adjusted average weekly earnings in nearly 12 years. The earnings decline of 0.8% reflected a 0.9% drop in average weekly hours and a 0.2% increase in the CPI for urban wage earners and clerical workers. That was partly offset by a 0.3% increase in average hourly earnings.
Gene Coyle
