Economics

U.S. Job Growth More Than Forecast in February, ADP Data Show

Private payrolls up 475,000 in February after sizable revision
Small companies struggling more than large ones in wage battle

A worker checks dried dyed fiber at a raw stock dye house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Photographer: Hannah Yoon/Bloomberg

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By Emma Kinery

March 2, 2022 at 1:20 PM UTC

Updated on

March 2, 2022 at 1:37 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

U.S. companies in February added more jobs than forecast as Covid-19 cases dropped and restrictions eased, encouraging more Americans to work.

Businesses’ payrolls rose by 475,000 last month, according to ADP Research Institute data released Wednesday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 375,000 rise. The initial January print showed a 301,000 plunge in the month, the worst since April 2020, but was revised up to a 509,000 gain.