U.S. private employers added 189,000 jobs last month, below economists' expectations and the lowest since January 2014, a report by a payrolls processor showed on Wednesday.
Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast the ADP National Employment Report would show a gain of 225,000 jobs.
February's private payrolls were revised up to an increase of 214,000 from the previously reported 212,000.
The report is jointly developed with Moody's Analytics.
The ADP figures come ahead of the U.S. Labor Department's more comprehensive non-farm payrolls report on Friday, which includes both public and private-sector employment.
Economists polled by Reuters are looking for total U.S. employment to have grown by 245,000 jobs in March, down from 295,000 in February. The unemployment rate is expected to have remained at 5.5 percent.
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