US Companies Hired Fewer Workers Than Estimated in May

Unexpectedly!

Companies in the U.S. hired fewer workers than projected in May as federal budget cuts and higher taxes stifled greater improvement in the labor market.

The 135,000 increase in employment followed a revised 113,000 gain in April that was smaller than initially estimated, the ADP Research Institute reported today. Based in Roseland, New Jersey, the institute is a division of Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP), a company that manages employer payrolls. The median forecast of 40 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a May advance of 165,000.

Companies added workers last month as home prices strengthened and consumer demand for cars, electronics and other goods held up in the face of this year's higher taxes and federal budget cuts. A Labor Department report in two days may show private payrolls rose by 178,000 last month, according to the Bloomberg survey median forecast.