21.   Unit labor costs, meanwhile, dipped slightly after a relatively large first-quarter gain.

22.   Unit labor costs at airlines are at a five-year low, and commissions paid to travel agents have fallen.

23.   He notes that the slower productivity increase comes at a time when unit labor costs have risen more than expected.

24.   Investors watch for increases in unit labor costs as a sign of inflation, which can drive down the value of long-term holdings.

25.   It reduced per unit manufacturing costs through automation and the use of new materials.

26.   Refining unit cash costs were held flat.

27.   Still, even with the upward revision, unit labor costs in the second quarter posted their smallest increase in a year.

28.   The lower productivity estimate resulted in unit labor costs being revised upward.

29.   The rise in productivity in the first quarter helped to push down unit labor costs, a gauge of inflation.

30.   The rise in productivity helped to push down unit labor costs, a gauge of inflation.