The number of new jobs added to U.S. employers in August exceeded the previous month, but fell below industry estimates, according to a report released Wednesday by payroll services firm ADP.
The report found that from July to August, U.S. companies added a total of 374,000 jobs, including an additional 86,000 workers in small businesses and approximately 149,000 for medium-sized businesses.
For large companies employing 500 or more people, about 138,000 new jobs were added in August, according to ADP.
While the total number added exceeds the 326,000 new jobs recorded in July, it falls well below the 600,000 previously estimated by Dow Jones, CNBC reported.
The meager ADP report comes two days before the Department of Labor publishes the monthly federal employment report, which covers the private and public sectors. Economists expected the United States to have added about 750,000 jobs in August, according to consensus estimates, but there is considerable uncertainty about how the delta variant will affect the total.
Consumer confidence has declined since COVID-19 cases began to rise in late July, but after the period of this month’s job report survey, which showed a gain of 943,000 jobs. The widespread closure of schools may also limit the ability of many parents who left the staff to return as planned at the beginning of the school year.
– Updated at 10:05 p.m.