(Reuters) - U.S. private employers added 216,000 jobs in November, well above economists' expectations, a report by a payrolls processor showed on Wednesday.
Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast the ADP National Employment Report would show a gain of 165,000 jobs, with estimates ranging from 140,000 to 210,000.
Private payroll gains in the month earlier were revised down to 119,000 from an originally reported 147,000 increase. November's increase was the largest since June.
The report is jointly developed with Moody's Analytics.
The ADP figures come ahead of the U.S. Labor Department's more comprehensive non-farm payrolls report on Friday, which includes both public and private sector employment.
Economists polled by Reuters are looking for U.S. private payroll employment to have grown by 165,000 jobs in November, up from 142,000 the month before. Total non-farm employment is expected to have risen by 175,000.
The unemployment rate is forecast to stay steady at the 4.9 percent recorded a month earlier.