Us private sector payroll growth up by 200,000 in September

The numbers: U.S. private sector employers added 208,000 jobs in September, up from a revised 185,000 figure in the prior month, according to the ADP job report released Wednesday.

Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal said they expected a gain of 200,000 jobs, up from the initial estimate of 132,000 in August.

Annual pay was up 7.8% in September, up from 7.7% in the previous month, according to ADP. In September, their annual pay fell to 15.7% from 16.2% in August. The largest gain for medium-sized businesses was 90,000 jobs. Small businesses added 58,000 jobs and large firms added 60,000 jobs. ADP introduced new methodology to its report last month, and is no longer trying to forecast the government's employment data, which will be released on Friday. Data sets the tone for the government's report on Friday, according to economists. In September, payroll growth, including the public sector, rose by 275,000, down from 315,000 in the previous month, according to economists. Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, said that ADP was continuing to see steady job gains.