Labor-market watchers were disappointed Wednesday when monthly data from ADP, Inc., showed 170,000 non-farm jobs were added last month, less than many expected.

The seasonally adjusted number "was more modest than the 180,000 jobs expected by consensus and our forecast for 175,000 job gains," Standard & Poor's said in its Housing Views blog.

ADP also revised down its jobs number for the gain from November to December, saying it now appears to have been 292,000 rather than 325,000.

Job growth in the construction indiustry was minimal. ADP said its records showed "2,000 this month, which is down from an increase of 27,000 in December."

ADP's numbers often differ from federal government data, but are closely watched as an indicator of the economy's health and the status of an economic recovery