Private-sector job creation held steady last month stateside, but was below market expectations, according to an ADP report Wednesday that paints an uninspiring picture.
Companies in the U.S. added 190,000 jobs to close out the summer, a number that was better than July's downward-revised 177,000 and below the expected 201,000 new positions.
Professional and business services south of the border led the way with 29,000 new jobs, while trade, transportation and utilities added 28,000 and construction grew by 17,000. Overall, services were responsible for 173,000 of the total, with goods-producing contributing just 17,000.
The report tees the market up for Friday's closely-watched non-farm payrolls report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Economists expect to see growth of 220,000 jobs for August. The payrolls number is a key indicator for the Federal Reserve, which is expected to raise rates before the end of the year though the timing is uncertain. A weak jobs report could give the U.S. central bank reason not to hike at its September Open Market Committee meeting.
