U.S. Companies Cut 39,000 Jobs in September, ADP Says

Companies in the U.S. unexpectedly cut 39,000 jobs in September, according to estimates by ADP Employer Services, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

The biggest drop since January followed a revised 10,000 increase in August, ADP said.

The decline was in contrast with economists’ forecasts of a 20,000 gain, and the lost jobs could hit consumer spending, the largest part of the economy, Bloomberg reported.

The Labor Department will release its monthly unemployment report Friday, and economists are predicting that companies added 75,000 workers last month, Bloomberg said.