WASHINGTON, D.C. (MCT)— On Friday morning, when the Labor Department reports November employment numbers, they’re likely to show strong hiring for the second consecutive month.
Economists hope this is a return to something approaching normalcy after a brutal three-year stretch for the U.S. economy.
One big reason for optimism is Wednesday’s ADP National Employment Report, which showed that the private sector added 93,000 jobs in November.
More than half of those jobs — 54,000 — were in small firms with 49 employees or fewer, a good sign that the recovery is strengthening.
“It certainly is something that jumped out at not only me when I was working the report, but other people that read the report,” said Joel Prakken, chairman of forecaster Macroeconomic Advisers, which prepares the monthly report with data collected by Automatic Data Processing Inc.
Last month the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported stronger than expected 151,000 jobs gained in October, and analysts expect a similar report on Friday. Consensus forecasts expect 150,000 to 170,000 additional jobs for November.
