US private sector adds 172,000 jobs in June - ADP

US private-sector employment increased by 172,000 from May to June, Automatic Data Processing reported on Thursday.

The jobs gain comes above the 159,000 expected, but slightly below May reading which was upwardly revised to 173,000 from 168,000 previously estimated.

ADP figures came a day earlier that the US Government report, which will be closely watched tomorrow after an awful May reading. Consensus points to a 178,000 increase in June following only 38,000 jobs created in May.