The Financial Post reports in its Thursday edition that Canada's labour productivity fell by 0.4 per cent in the third quarter, Statistics Canada said on Wednesday, marking the third consecutive quarter of declines. The Post's Jordan Gowling quotes L.J. Valencia, economic analyst at Desjardins Group, saying in a note: "Productivity has been a story of serial disappointment in Canada, and the third quarter offered little signs of reversal. The outcome coincides with Canada's lacklustre investment performance during the quarter, as corporate profits fell." Corporate income fell by 1.1 per cent during the quarter. Business investment declined by 11.3 per cent in the same period. Labour productivity dropped in 11 of the 16 main business sectors tracked by Statscan. Statistics Canada also noted labour unit costs rose by 1.4 per cent for Canadian businesses. BMO economist Shelly Kaushik thinks the rise in labour costs is an opportunity for businesses to invest more in "productivity-enhancing measures. ... However, elevated labour costs are a headwind for attracting business investment from outside Canada, which is facing an additional drag from the highly uncertain trade environment with the U.S. over the medium term."