Private payrolls were below estimates last month, as the ADP Employment Report showed that there were just 145,000 jobs created in March. Annual pay for job stayers increased 6.9% and job changers saw an average increase of 14.2%. These figures are still high but they have been moderating, showing lower wage-pressured inflation.

While the leisure and hospitality sector once again led the way with 98,000 job gains, these jobs may not bolster the overall private payroll total for much longer, as noted above.

What’s the bottom line? Nela Richardson, chief economist for ADP, said, “Our March payroll data is one of several signals that the economy is slowing. Employers are pulling back from a year of strong hiring and pay growth, after a three-month plateau, is inching down.”