Investing.com - U.S. private sector hiring rose more than expected in December, a report on Wednesday showed, indicating that the labor market remains robust.
Payroll processing firm ADP said the U.S. private sector added 257,000 jobs last month, compared to economists' forecasts for an increase of 192,000.
November's figure was revised down to 211,000, from a previously reported increase of 217,000.
Markets use the ADP data as a guide for the Labor Department’s employment report, which will be released Friday and covers both government and private sector jobs growth.
Economists expect Friday's report to show that the U.S. economy created 200,000 jobs last month, after a gain of 211,000 in November.