US private payrolls rise less than expected in February, shows data

US private employers hired fewer workers than expected in February, suggesting the labor market was struggling to regain speed despite the an nation's improving public health picture.
 

Private payrolls increased by 117,000 jobs last month, the ADP National Employment Report showed on Wednesday. Data for January was revised up to show 195,000 jobs added instead of the initially reported 174,000.
 

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast private payrolls would increase by 177,000 jobs in February.
 

The ADP report is jointly developed with Moody's Analytics.
 

It has a very poor track record predicting the private payrolls count in the government's more