Snapshot of U.S. economic reports

• WORKER EFFICIENCY: Productivity, the amount of output per hour of work, grew at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the July-September quarter, better than the initial estimate of a 1.9 percent gain.

• CONSTRUCTION: Spending on construction projects rose 0.7 percent in October, marking the second straight monthly gain, something that has not happened since the spring.

• MORTGAGES: Applications for mortgages tumbled last week, led by a sharp decline in refinancing as rates ticked up. The Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday overall applications for loans dropped 16.5 percent from the previous week. Refinance applications plunged 21.6 percent, while purchase applications edged up 1.1 percent from the previous week. The survey adjusted for the Thanksgiving holiday.