U.S. businesses added fewer workers in November, partly because superstorm Sandy shut down factories, retail stores, and other companies, according to a report by a payrolls processor released Wednesday. ADP said private-sector employers added 118,000 jobs last month, below October's total of 157,000 and lower than economist expectations of 125,000. Sandy, which hit the U.S. east coast in late October, was responsible for cutting payrolls by at least 85,000, analysts said. Excluding the effects of the storm, which were most profound in New Jersey and New York, the job market posted good performance last month, analysts said. The ADP report only covers hiring in the private sector, so it excludes federal, state, and local government jobs. The Labor Department will release its more comprehensive report on October hiring on Friday.
