Survey: US businesses post steady job gain in January

WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. companies hired at a solid pace last month, a private survey found, the latest sign of steady improvement in the job market.<br /> <br /> Payroll processor ADP says companies added 213,000 jobs last month, a decent increase though also the smallest in four months. The figure suggests Friday's government report will also show a solid burst of hiring. Economists surveyed by FactSet expect the government's report will show that employers added 230,000 jobs.<br /> <br /> The ADP numbers cover only private businesses and sometimes diverge from the government's more comprehensive report, which includes government agencies.<br /> <br /> Businesses have added 200,000 jobs or more in nine of the past 10 months, ADP says.