Private Payrolls Drop by 32000 in September as Job Market Slows

Private payrolls in the United States fell in September, adding to worries about the slowing job market while a government shutdown blocks the release of official data.

Payroll company ADP reported on Wednesday that private-sector businesses cut 32,000 jobs last month. Economists had expected 50,000 new jobs. August’s numbers were also revised, showing a loss of 3,000 jobs instead of the 54,000 jobs previously reported.

ADP’s chief economist Nela Richardson said the changes came after a “rebenchmarking” process, which lowered September’s numbers by 43,000. Moreover, even with the changes, the overall trend is clear: hiring has slowed throughout the year.

Job losses in September were spread across many industries, with the biggest cuts in professional and business services. Leisure and hospitality as well. Small businesses were hit the hardest. The only area with steady job growth was health care.

The report follows government data from August showing the economy added only 22,000 jobs. The unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent, the highest in almost four years. Earlier numbers for June were also revised to show job losses.

The hiring rate in August fell to 3.2 percent, the lowest since 2013 outside the pandemic, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.

Due to shut down, the Labor Department is not expected to release their September jobs report. That leaves economists and investors depending on private reports like ADP’s.

U.S. stocks dropped on Wednesday as investors reacted to uncertainty. Some analysts say, weak labor market could lead the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates again at the end of the month.