US private-sector employers unexpectedly added 10,000 jobs in April according to a private report by ADP Employer Services today that beat forecasts for a sharp drop.
The gain in jobs follows a downwardly revised 3,000 jobs added in March, according to ADP. The March figure was originally reported as an increase of 8,000 private sector jobs.
Economists expected private employers to cut 60,000 jobs in April, according to a median forecast.
The ADP release comes ahead of Friday's monthly jobs report by the government, which analysts expect will show a fall of 80,000 in April non-farm payrolls.
However, analysts say the ADP numbers and payrolls reports can show different results.
"ADP has over-estimated non-farm payrolls in the last eight months, making this report a bit dubious," said David Ader, Treasury market strategist at RBS Greenwich Capital.
The report by ADP Employer Services was jointly developed with Macroeconomic Advisers LLC.