Kansas City, Mo. ? Wage growth rates in the private sector are expected to slow in the coming months, according to a national yardstick that measures the economic outlook.

BNA Inc., an information service, said Thursday that its Wage Trend Indicator predicted slower pay growth for the second straight quarter.

Private sector wages rose 3.1 percent over the year ended in June, not adjusted for inflation.

BNA said the biggest negative factor was a decline in the number of employers planning to hire production and service workers. Other negatives were an increase in the unemployment rate and an increase in job losers as a percentage of the labor force.