Nor was there any reduction in the length of the average workweek in the private sector, at 34.6 hours, or in factory overtime, at 3.8 hours.

The length of the average private-sector workweek also edged up, as did factory overtime.

This indicates less factory overtime, one of the most sensitive gauges of business activity.

Another sign of vigor was an expansion by 18 minutes in the private-sector workweek and a six-minute expansion of factory overtime to a record 4.9 hours.

And factory overtime, up 12 minutes last month, was the most since overtime records began being kept in the mid-1950's.

The length of the factory workweek and factory overtime were both unchanged, though at historically high levels.

The average private-sector work week lengthened by six minutes but there was no change in the levels, already high, of the factory week and in factory overtime.

The length of the workweek fell sharply, the report also showed, but this as well as a skid in factory overtime was attributed to unusually harsh weather.

Dealers said, for example, that the average workweek, factory overtime and hourly earnings in manufacturing all declined last month.

Other signs of strength included 18-minute extensions of the factory and private-sector workweeks and 12 minutes more of factory overtime.