Private companies added 189,000 jobs last month, according to this morning’s ADP National Employment Report, fewer than the 225,000 predicted by economists and the lowest gains in over a year.
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“March job gains came in under 200,000 for the first time since January of last year,” said Carlos
Rodriguez, president and chief executive officer of ADP. “The decline was centered in the largest companies, those with 1000 or more employees.”
The highest job growth last month was in small companies, with fewer than 50 employees. Those companies added 108,000 jobs. Midsized companies, with 50 – 499 employees, added 62,000 jobs. Large companies, with 500 or more employees, added 19,000 jobs.
The goods-producing sector, which includes construction and manufacturing, was weak last month. Construction produced 17,000 jobs, but manufacturing lost 1,000 jobs. By contrast, the service-producing sector added 184,000 jobs total, including 25,000 in trade, transportation, and utilities, 16,000 in financial activities, and 40,000 in professional services.
“The fallout from the collapse in oil prices and surge in value of the dollar is hitting the job market,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, which produces the report with ADP. “Despite the slowdown, underlying job growth remains strong enough to reduce labor market slack.”
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its report, which tracks nonfarm payrolls and includes the public sector and information on wage growth. Economists predict gains of 248,000 jobs.
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