USA Today (04/03/13) Paul Davidson

Private employers added 158,000 jobs in March, the smallest gain in five months and falling short of economists’ expectations, payroll processor ADP reported today. Economists had forecast that ADP would report private-sector job gains of 215,000. They expect the U.S. Department of Labor on April 5 to report 195,000 net jobs added in March, including not just the private sector but also federal, state, and local governments, which have been cutting payrolls.

Professional and business services led job gains with 39,000, trade and transportation added 22,000, and financial firms, 9,000. Construction companies added no net new jobs after several months of solid gains during a housing rebound. Small businesses and midsize businesses accounted for most of the job gains for the third straight month. Small businesses added 74,000 jobs, midsize ones, 37,000, and large companies, 47,000.