US workers' share of GDP falls to a record low in the second quarter

According to a report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published Thursday, August 6, 2026 (15 Mordad 1405), the labor share of nominal US gross domestic product fell to 52.9 percent in the second quarter of 2026, down from 53.7 percent in the first quarter. That was the lowest level since the series began in 1947. The BLS reported stronger-than-expected productivity growth for the quarter, meaning a larger share of productivity gains accrued to business owners and shareholders rather than to workers' wages. Real weekly earnings, adjusted for inflation, were essentially unchanged during the first half of 2026, though June's reading snapped three straight months of declines and was the strongest in six years.