Private-sector employment rose by 41,000 jobs in December, though the rise was lower than the expected 48,000, ADP reported Wednesday.

ADP said businesses created 41,000 jobs in December, suggesting a weak U.S. labor market showed mild improvement heading into the new year.

Private employers added 41,000 jobs in December, recovering from losses in the previous month but missing the projected estimate for gains by a few thousand. The Dow Jones estimated the private sector would add around 48,

Private sector job creation turned positive in December, though hiring came in slightly below expectations, according to data released Wednesday by payrolls processor ADP. Companies added 41,000 jobs during the month,

The U.S. added 41,000 jobs to private payrolls in December, according to the ADP National Employment Report released Wednesday morning. That was a stronger print than economists surveyed by FactSet were expecting;

In the final months of 2025, the U.S. labor market appears to have finally stabilized. Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report will be another key job market indicator.