US companies add 139,000 jobs in February

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A private survey shows that U.S. companies added slightly more jobs in February than in the previous month, but harsh winter weather weighed on hiring for the third straight month.

Payroll processor ADP says businesses added 139,000 jobs last month, up from 127,000 in January. But January's figure was revised sharply lower from an original estimate of 175,000.

The ADP numbers cover only private businesses and often diverge from the government's more comprehensive report. In January and December its initial figures were much higher than the official count.

The government said employers added 113,000 jobs in January, about half the rate each month last year.

Economists forecast that the government's Friday report will show the economy generated 145,000 jobs in February. The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 6.6 percent.