WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. businesses ramped up hiring last month in the latest sign that the nation’s economy is expanding despite worries about global growth that have sent financial markets tumbling.
Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that companies added 241,000 jobs in December, up from 227,000 in November. That suggests Friday’s government report on December job gains will also be healthy.
The ADP numbers cover only private businesses and sometimes diverge from the government’s more comprehensive report, which includes government agencies.
Economists forecast the government’s figures will show that employers added 240,000 jobs in December, according to a survey by financial data provider FactSet. The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 5.8 percent.
Hiring was solid across most large industries and company sizes. Manufacturers added 26,000 jobs, the second-highest monthly total in 2014 and up from 16,000 in November. Construction firms added 23,000, up from 20,000 the previous month.