- Private sector job creation zoomed to 202,000 in December far ahead of 160,000 forecast.
- Report leads into Friday’s NFP report which is predicted to add 164,000 positions.
- November’s total revised to 124,000 from 67,000.
The US labor market finished the year in excellent fashion as private payroll growth rose above the annual trend with the service and manufacturing sectors both contributing to the gains.
Firms using Automatic Data Processing’s (ADP) payroll services added 202,000 workers in December as the US labor market continued to excel in the 11th year of expansion. It was the largest increase since April. Goods producing industries added 29,000 employees after shedding 17,000 in November and services providing businesses hired the 173,000 balance.
ADP Payrolls
The dollar saw modest gains after the release with the EUR/USD falling from 1.1150 just before the 8:15 EST release to 1.1115 by 11:00 EST. USD/JPY gained about 20 points to 108.65.
Jobs were spread across all three categories of companies with small firms (1-49 employees) adding 69,000 workers, mid-size firms (50-499 employees) 88,000 and large companies (500+ employees) 45,000.
Construction trades grew by 37,000, its best score since April and reversing November’s 5,600 decline. Trade, transportation and utilities added 78,000 and professional and business services 61,000. Education and health services rose by 49,000 and financial services 10,000.
Firms losing workers were in leisure and hospitality at 21,000 and information services at 14,000.
The ADP report is tabulated from its approximately 411,000 US clients. It is released on the Wednesday before the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employment Situation Report which is usually issued on the first Friday of every month.
Correlation between the two statistics can diverge substantially on a monthly basis. In November the unexpectedly weak initial ADP figure of 67,000 contrasted with the equally unanticipated strength of 266,000 in the NFP. However, over time over time the trends in the two statistics are complementary.
NFP
The 12-month moving average for non-farm payrolls dropped 22% from January 2019 to November, 235,000 to 184,000. The ADP average fell 26% in the same period from 222,000 in April to 165,000.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD drops below .0800 after German Retail Sales data
EUR/USD has come under fresh selling pressure to trade below 1.0800 after the data from Germany showed that Retail Sales declined by 1.9% on a monthly basis in February. Resurgent US Dollar demand is adding to the downside in the pair.
GBP/USD stays weak near 1.2600 amid market caution
GBP/USD remains defensive near 1.2600 in European trading on Thursday. The hawkish tone from Fed Governor Christopher Waller keeps the US Dollar afloat amid a cautious trading environment ahead of key US data releases and the Good Friday trading lull.
Gold price bulls keenly await US PCE Price Index on Friday before placing fresh bets
Gold price (XAU/USD) continues with its struggle to make it through the $2,200 mark on Thursday and oscillates in a narrow trading band through the early part of the European session.
XRP price falls to $0.60 support as Ripple ruling doesn’t help Coinbase lawsuit against SEC
XRP programmatic sales ruling by Judge Torres was completely rejected by another US Court that ruled in favor of the SEC in a lawsuit against Coinbase.
The other terminal rate: How far will policy rates be cut?
Recent communication by the Federal Reserve and the ECB has made it clear that the first cut in official interest rates is coming. Both central banks are saying the same but the ECB communication is more opaque than that of the Fed.