ADP reported non-farm private jobs growth at 298,000. This was a particularily strong report for the second month in a row.
Analyst Opinion of ADP Employment Situation
This month the rate of ADPs private employment year-over-year growth marginally increased. This is the second month of improving year-over-year employment gains. This report is very good with growth in almost every sector.
ADP employment has not been a good predictor of BLS non-farm private job growth.
ADP changed their methodology starting with their October 2012 report, and ADP’s real time estimates are currently worse than the BLS.
Per Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics:
February was a very good month for workers. Powering job growth were the construction, mining and manufacturing industries. Unseasonably mild winter weather undoubtedly played a role. But near record high job openings and record low layoffs underpin the entire job market.
Per Ahu Yildirmaz, VP and head of the ADP Research Institute.
February proved to be an incredibly strong month for employment with increases we have not seen in years. Gains were driven by a surge in the goods sector, while we also saw the information industry experience a notable increase.
Jobs growth of 150,000 or more is calculated by Econintersect to the minimum jobs growth to support population growth (see caveats below). The graph below shows ADP employment gains by month.