Companies in the United States added a solid 205,000 jobs in January, down from December but sustaining the strong pace of jobs growth of 2015
The numbers from payroll firm ADP for December, the best month of last year, were revised up by 10,000 to 267,000 net new jobs.
The ADP's January number was better than the 190,000 that analysts expected.
Manufacturing employment was unchanged as manufacturers wrestle with a strong dollar that hits exports and falling oil prices.
But there was broad job growth across the goods-producing and service-producing sectors. Financial activities was a bright spot, adding 19,000 jobs, the most since March 2006
The ADP employment report came ahead of the government's January jobs report, scheduled on Friday.
The U.S. Labor Department is expected to report the economy added 188,000 jobs last month, slowing from the 292,000 jump in December.
The unemployment rate is forecast to hold for a fourth-consecutive month at 5%, a seven-year low.
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