Private sector added 109,000 jobs in April, above expectations, ADP says

Companies in the private sector added 109,000 jobs in April, payroll processing firm ADP said Wednesday.

The figure is above economists’ estimates of a gain of 99,000 jobs. The prior month’s payrolls number was revised lower to a gain of 61,000 from an initially reported gain of 62,000.

Which industries are hiring the most workers?

Education and health services added 61,000 positions, leading job creation in April. Trade, transportation and utilities added 25,000, construction gained 10,000 and financial activities added 9,000.

HOW AI EXPOSURE IS RESHAPING JOBS IN CREATIVE FIELDS

Leisure and hospitality and information each added 4,000 jobs, while natural resources and mining gained 3,000. Manufacturing added 2,000. 

ZUCKERBERG SAYS META LAYOFFS TIED TO AI SPENDING, WON’T RULE OUT FUTURE CUTS

On the negative side, professional and business services lost 8,000 jobs and other services lost 1,000 positions.

Large businesses – those with 500 or more employees – gained 42,000 jobs in April. Businesses with 50 to 499 employees gained 2,000 workers. Establishments with fewer than 50 employees gained 65,000 jobs.

ELON MUSK BACKS ‘UNIVERSAL HIGH INCOME’ TO COMBAT AI JOB LOSSES

Wage growth in April slowed slightly from last month. People staying in their roles saw their pay climb 4.4% from the prior year, while pay gains for those changing their jobs remained steady at 6.6%.

What experts are saying about the data

“Small and large employers are hiring, but we’re seeing softness in the middle,” said ADP chief economist Nela Richardson. “Large companies have resources to deploy, and small ones are the most nimble, both important advantages in a complex labor environment.”