WASHINGTON -- A private survey says American businesses added a solid but unspectacular 180,000 jobs in October.
Payroll processor ADP reports also revised September job creation down to 190,000 from an originally reported 200,000.
American consumers are spending at healthy levels. But manufacturers have been hurt by a strong dollar and economic weakness overseas. ADP reported that factories shed 2,000 jobs in October on top of a loss of 17,000 jobs in September.
The government will issue its official jobs report for October on Friday. Economists forecast that report will show that employers added 180,000 private sector and government jobs, and the unemployment rate stayed at 5.1 percent.
The ADP survey covers only private businesses and frequently diverges from the official figures.
