US Private Sector Employment Growth Slows in January, ADP Reports Modest 22,000 Job Increase

US private payrolls increased modestly in January, with 22,000 jobs added, according to ADP's national employment report. This is less than the expected 48,000 jobs and follows a downwardly revised 37,000 increase in December. Economists attribute the slow hiring to import tariffs and the rise of artificial intelligence, leading to a "low-hire, low-fire" state in the labor market.