US ADP private employment grew strongly by 275k in April, well above expectation of 181k. Looking at the details, jobs in goods-producing sector rose 52k. Jobs in service-providing sector rose 223k.
“April posted an uptick in growth after the first quarter appeared to signal a moderation following a strong 2018,” said Ahu Yildirmaz, vice president and co-head of the ADP Research Institute. “The bulk of the overall growth is with service providers, adding the strongest gain in more than two years.”
Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, said, “The job market is holding firm, as businesses work hard to fill open positions. The economic soft patch at the start of the year has not materially impacted hiring. April’s job gains overstate the economy’s strength, but they make the case that expansion continues on.”