US Companies Add Just 130K Jobs In October

A private survey shows U.S. businesses added just 130,000 jobs in October, as the 16-day government shutdown slowed an already-weak job market.

Payroll processor ADP also says companies created just 145,000 jobs in September, many fewer than the 166,000 it had reported earlier this month.

The job market had been weakening even before the shutdown started Oct. 1. Employers were also worried about a standoff over raising the federal limit.

The ADP numbers cover only private businesses and often diverge from the government's figures, which are due on Nov. 8.

Government statistics show that private and government employers added an average 143,000 jobs a month from July through September, down from an average 195,000 a month from January through June.

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