A report from payroll processing company ADP on Wednesday showed little change in the U.S. labor market in January, with hiring falling below even modest expectations.

The private sector added just 22,000 jobs this month, a figure that would have been negative if the number of employees in education and health services hadn’t surged by 74,000. The total was less than the downwardly revised 37,000 increase December That was below the Dow Jones consensus forecast of 45,000.

The report starts 2026 on essentially the same note as it ended 2025: Low rent, low fire environment That may not help calm concerns among Fed policymakers that more support may be needed.

In addition to health care-related jobs, the main driver of employment growth last year, financial activities added 14,000 jobs, construction added 9,000 jobs, and trade, transport and utilities, and leisure and hospitality each contributed 4,000 jobs.

However, several industries reported losses.

Professional and business services fell by 57,000, other services fell by 13,000, and manufacturing fell by 8,000. All but 1,000 net jobs are in services.

Looking at size, companies employing 50 to 499 people added all jobs, small businesses were flat and large employers lost 18,000 jobs. Totals do not add up precisely due to rounding.

Wage growth was little changed compared with December, with wages for those staying on the job up 4.5%.

The ADP report typically precedes the more closely watched Bureau of Labor Statistics nonfarm payrolls report, which is typically released on Friday. However, parts of the government are shut down again Postponement of BLS releasewaiting for the deadlock to be resolved.