Business hiring ended 2014 on a solid note, according to an
employment survey released Wednesday.
Private payrolls in the U.S. increased by 241,000 jobs in
December, said the national employment report compiled by payroll
processor Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP) and forecasting firm
Moody's Analytics.
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal projected ADP to
report a December increase of 250,000 new private-sector jobs. The
November ADP increase was revised to 227,000 from 208,000.
The ADP report is released ahead of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics' employment situation report scheduled for Friday.
Economists think the BLS will report December nonfarm payrolls
(which include government positions) expanded by 240,000 new
positions, slower than the unexpectedly large net gain of 321,000
jobs created in November.
Still, job growth according to BLS data has picked up over the
course of 2014. For the year, payrolls gains are on track to post
the strongest pace since 1999.
The December unemployment rate is expected to slip to 5.7% from
5.8%.
According to ADP, firms employing between 1-49 workers added
106,000 new workers last month. Medium-size businesses with
payrolls of 50-499 workers increased payrolls by 70,000 employees.
Large firms with 500 or more employees hired only 66,000 more
workers.
Service-sector payrolls increased by 194,000 workers in October.
Manufacturing added 26,000 jobs. Construction payrolls increased by
23,000.
Write to Kathleen Madigan at kathleen.madigan@wsj.com
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