WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. businesses added jobs at a robust pace in June, a private survey found, evidence that rising consumer spending and a healthy housing market are supporting more hiring.
Payroll processor ADP says businesses added 237,000 jobs last month, up from 203,000 in May.
Americans have spent freely in recent months and home sales are running at their best pace in eight years. Construction firms added 19,000 jobs last month, while retail, shipping and utility companies gained 50,000.
On Thursday, the government will issue its official jobs report for June. Economists forecast it will show that employers added 233,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate fell to 5.4 percent from 5.5 percent.
The ADP survey covers only private businesses, however, and frequently diverges from the official figures.
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