U.S. companies hired workers at a solid clip in September, but data showed factory activity in the U.S. Midwest contracted, muddying the economic picture for the Federal Reserve on whether to raise interest rates later this year. U.S. private employers added 200,000 jobs in September, payrolls processor ADP said on Wednesday, the strongest reading since June. In recent days, several top Fed policy-makers including Chair Janet Yellen have said the Fed could raise rates later this year if the economy shows further improvement.