ADP Employment Change 4-week average eases to 9K

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Private-sector hiring in the US appears to have lost a bit of momentum toward the end of February. According to the NER Pulse, the weekly companion to the ADP National Employment Report, companies added an average of just 9K jobs per week in the four weeks through February 28.

US private employers added an average of 9K jobs per week in late February.
Job gains lose momentum following three straight weeks of increases.

That marks a pause after three consecutive weeks of decent gains, hinting that the recent improvement in hiring may be starting to level off.

The focus now shifts to the usual weekly labour market data, which should help determine whether this softer patch is temporary or a sign that the broader US jobs backdrop is losing steam.

Employment FAQs

How do employment levels affect currencies?

Labor market conditions are a key element to assess the health of an economy and thus a key driver for currency valuation. High employment, or low unemployment, has positive implications for consumer spending and thus economic growth, boosting the value of the local currency. Moreover, a very tight labor market – a situation in which there is a shortage of workers to fill open positions – can also have implications on inflation levels and thus monetary policy as low labor supply and high demand leads to higher wages.

Why is wage growth important?

The pace at which salaries are growing in an economy is key for policymakers. High wage growth means that households have more money to spend, usually leading to price increases in consumer goods. In contrast to more volatile sources of inflation such as energy prices, wage growth is seen as a key component of underlying and persisting inflation as salary increases are unlikely to be undone. Central banks around the world pay close attention to wage growth data when deciding on monetary policy.

How much do central banks care about employment?

The weight that each central bank assigns to labor market conditions depends on its objectives. Some central banks explicitly have mandates related to the labor market beyond controlling inflation levels. The US Federal Reserve (Fed), for example, has the dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and stable prices. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank’s (ECB) sole mandate is to keep inflation under control. Still, and despite whatever mandates they have, labor market conditions are an important factor for policymakers given its significance as a gauge of the health of the economy and their direct relationship to inflation.