ADP National Employment Report: Private-Sector Job Creation in June at 237K

The ADP National Employment Report released Wednesday found that U.S. private employers added 237,000 jobs in June, the biggest gain since December. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the ADP National Employment Report would show a gain of 218,000 jobs.

“June job numbers came in at their highest level since December 2014,” said Carlos Rodriguez, president and chief executive officer of ADP. “Small businesses continue to lead the way adding over half of the total jobs this month.”

May private payroll gains were revised up to 203,000 from an initially reported 201,000 gain, which was the smallest rise since January 2014. The report is jointly developed with Moody’s Analytics, and come ahead of the U.S. Labor Department’s — allegedly more comprehensive non-farm payrolls report — on Thursday, which includes both public and private-sector employment.

“The U.S. job machine remains in high gear. The current robust pace of job growth is double that needed to absorb the growth in the working age population. The only blemish in the job market is the loss of jobs in the energy sector. Most encouraging is the healthy rate of job growth among the nation’s smallest companies.”

Economists polled by Reuters are expecting U.S. employment gains at 230,000 jobs in June, down from May’s 280,000 increase. The unemployment rate was forecast to slip to a seven-year low of 5.4 percent from 5.5 percent.