The number of job openings changed little at 8.1 million on the last business day of May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, both the number of hires and total separations were little changed at 5.8 million and 5.4 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.5 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.7 million) changed little. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by establishment size class. On the last business day of May, the number of job openings changed little at 8.1 ... (full story)

The number of available jobs in the US unexpectedly grew in May, signaling continued resilience in the nation’s labor market. Job openings jumped higher to 8.14 million in May, from a downwardly revised 7.91 million in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report released Tuesday. Economists had expected openings would fall to 7.91 million, according to FactSet consensus estimates. Despite the uptick in job postings, May’s JOLTS report reflected a significant milestone for the US labor market: The ratio of job openings to those who are unemployed ... (full story)