ADP Private-Sector Jobs Jump 63K in February, January Revised Lower
Automatic Data Processing reported 63,000 private-sector jobs added in February, the largest increase since July, with small firms (under 50 employees) driving 60,000 hires while medium employers shed 7,000 positions. January’s job gain was revised down from 22,000 to 11,000, and ADP flagged a narrow wage-gap.
1. February Private-Sector Employment Surge
ADP recorded 63,000 filled private-sector positions in February, the highest monthly tally since last July’s 104,000, and revised January’s preliminary gain from 22,000 down to 11,000.
2. Firm Size and Industry Breakdown
Hiring was concentrated in small firms, which contributed 60,000 of the new roles, while medium-sized companies cut 7,000 jobs and large enterprises added 10,000. Sector leaders included Education/Healthcare (+58K), Construction (+19K) and Information Services (+11K), whereas Professional/Business Services lost 30,000 roles.
3. Wage Growth and Market Outlook
ADP’s wage analysis showed Job Stayers’ income growth at 4.5% versus 6.3% for Job Changers, the narrowest gap on record. ADP described the labor market as inert, suggesting subdued payroll inflation and mixed demand for its payroll processing services.