Survey: US businesses added 275,000 jobs in April

WASHINGTON — U.S. companies added the most jobs in 9 months in April, a sign that hiring remains strong amid solid economic growth.

Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that businesses gained 275,000 jobs last month, up from just 151,000 in March. That's a much higher number than economists forecast for Friday's government jobs report, when analysts expect the Labor Department to say that 181,000 jobs were added, according to data provider FactSet.

The economy is so far expanding at a solid pace this year, despite fears last winter that the U.S.-China trade war, slower global growth and higher interest rates would tip the economy into recession.

Hiring was driven partly by a big gain in construction, ADP said, which added 49,000 jobs. A category that mostly includes hotels and restaurants gained 53,000.