Economics
Small-Business Hiring Gives Mixed Signals on U.S. Economy
This article is for subscribers only.
Looking for a read on the U.S. labor market ahead of the April 3 employment report? Hiring at the smallest businesses may not provide the clarity you seek.
Figures released today show accelerating job growth last month, though other indexes still point to sluggishness in hiring at companies with fewer than 20 workers. This indicates a disconnect in the job market: Payrolls for all nonfarm employers rose at the fastest pace since 2001 in the 12 months through February, based on Labor Department data.