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Private sector wages to keep steady pace

April 16, 2013

Private sector workers likely will see annual wage increases remain close to their recent pace in the coming months, according to the final first-quarter wage trend indicator released today by Bloomberg BNA, a publisher of specialized news and information.

The index rose to 98.73 (second quarter 1976 = 100) in the first three months of 2013 from 98.52 in the fourth quarter of 2012, following declines in each of the two previous quarters. Over the past seven quarters, the forward-looking indicator has fluctuated in a narrow range from 98.47 to 98.75.

“Labor market indicators recently have been very mixed,” said economist Kathryn Kobe, a consultant to BNA. “We’re not seeing the robust growth in the economy that’s needed to boost wages.”