Economics

U.S. Companies Added 247,000 Jobs in April, ADP Data Show

Hiring was weaker than forecast, smallest gain of recovery
Other data suggest labor market robust ahead of Fed decision

Chocolates come out of a machine after receiving a coating at a factory in Brooklyn, New York.Photographer: Ron Antonelli/Bloomberg

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By Reade Pickert

May 4, 2022 at 12:16 PM UTC

Updated on

May 4, 2022 at 12:43 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

U.S. companies added in April the fewest jobs in the pandemic recovery, underscoring the persistent challenges faced by small firms to increase headcount in a tight labor market.

Businesses’ payrolls increased by 247,000 last month, after a revised 479,000 gain in March, according to ADP Research Institute data released Wednesday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 383,000 advance.