Analysts expect to see continued growth in the jobs report for June that will be issued this morning. The government is releasing the data one day early, due to the July 4 holiday.
Last month, the U.S. job market hit a milestone, finally surpassing pre-recession levels by gaining 217,000 jobs in May, the government said.
It's unclear whether that number will be outdone today; experts' estimates range from 215,000 jobs to 230,000. Stock markets have been rising on optimism ahead of the report. We'll update this post when the report emerges.
"The payroll processing firm ADP said yesterday that private employers added 281,000 jobs in June — a two-and-a-half year high," NPR's Jim Zarroli reports for today's Morning Edition. "The National Federation of Independent Businesses said hiring by small businesses increased for a ninth straight month."