US job openings rose by 333,000 in September to 7.52 million, well above forecasts, while hiring and quits increased and layoffs fell. The report arrives ahead of Friday's October nonfarm payrolls release.
Job openings rose by 333,000 in September to 7.52 million, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday. The figure came in well above the Dow Jones consensus of 7.15 million. The job openings rate increased to 4.5%, up 0.2 percentage point from August.
Quits reach highest level since March 2025
Workers also left their jobs at a faster pace. The number of people quitting spiked to 3.36 million, up 321,000 from August and the highest since March 2025. Quits are considered a barometer for worker confidence in finding new jobs.
Hiring moved the same direction. Hires rose 131,000 to 5.4 million, while layoffs and discharges fell by 127,000 to 1.64 million, the lowest since March 2025.
Economists describe a low-hire, low-fire market
Reuters reported that the data supports economists' view that the labor market remained on firmer footing despite tepid employment gains in September. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 7.100 million openings. Reuters also noted that the JOLTS report has been plagued by a low response rate.
According to Reuters, economists view the market as continuing to be in a "low-hire, low-fire" state. They said the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran is making employers hesitant to boost hiring.
Payrolls data due Friday
Attention now turns to the October nonfarm payrolls report. Wall Street consensus is for an increase of 59,000 after September gained just 29,000. The unemployment rate is figured to hold at 4.2%.
Sources: CNBC, Reuters via Investing.com
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