NEW YORK: US companies hired 218,000 workers in July, below what analysts projected and the level set the previous month, a report by a payrolls processor released on Wednesday showed.

Private job gains in June were 281,000, which was the strongest reading since November 2012.

Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast that the ADP National Employment Report would show a gain of 230,000 jobs.

The report is jointly developed with Moody's Analytics.