An article summarized by Quartz:

Private employers added just 44,000 jobs in July, according to ADP, marking the weakest monthly job growth of the year and falling well below economists' expectations of 75,000. The figure was also a sharp slowdown from June's revised gain of 95,000, signaling that hiring momentum continues to soften.

Job growth was driven entirely by the services sector, which added 47,000 positions, led by education and health services, financial activities, and professional services. Meanwhile, goods-producing industries lost jobs, and sectors such as leisure and hospitality and trade, transportation, and utilities also posted declines. Small businesses accounted for the largest share of new hiring, while the Northeast saw the strongest regional job growth.

Despite slower hiring, wage growth remained solid. Workers who stayed in their jobs saw pay increase 4.4% year over year, while those who switched employers received 7% raises, reflecting continued demand for skilled workers in some parts of the economy. Investors will now look to Friday's official government jobs report, which is expected to show payroll growth of around 83,000 and an unemployment rate of 4.2%.

For the article: https://qz.com/adp-private-payrolls-july-2026-miss-forecast-080526