Indicating a rapid pace of job losses amid a prolonged recession, the U.S. private sector lost 693,000 jobs in December, indicating a rapid pace of job losses amid a prolonged recession, according to the ADP National Employment Report released on Jan. 7.
The job decline in non farm private employmentwas higher than the 476,000 losses reported in November.
Some 120,000 jobs were shed in the manufacturing sector, marking its 27th decline over the last 28 months, it said.
"Sharply falling employment at medium- and small-size businesses clearly indicates that the recession has now spread well beyond manufacturing and housing-related activities," the report said.
Employment in the service-providing sector fell by 473,000 in December and by 220,000 in the goods-producing sector, the 23rd consecutive monthly decline, according to the report.
The jobless rate has risen to 6.7%, the highest since October 1993, with 2.7 million people having joined the jobless ranks since the recession began a year ago.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009
