Job openings fell in September, but still healthy
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers advertised fewer open jobs in September compared with the previous month, but the number of available positions remains high by historic standards.
The Labor Department said Tuesday that employers listed 7 million jobs, down from 7.3 million in August. Job openings peaked at 7.6 million in November and have slowly declined since.
Overall hiring increased in September while the number of Americans quitting their jobs fell. Quits are typically a good sign because most workers leave a job when they have found a new one, often for better pay.
Despite the decline in openings and quits, the report suggests the job market broadly remains healthy. The number of unemployed workers has also fallen in the past several months, leaving 1.2 open jobs, on average, for every unemployed person.
The figures come after the government reported Friday that U.S. businesses and other employers added a solid 128,000 jobs in October. That figure would have been even higher if roughly 50,000 General Motors hadn’t been on strike. Job gains in previous months were also revised upward.
The Friday jobs report reassured many economists that the U.S. economy is likely to keep expanding at a modest pace. As long as businesses remain optimistic enough about their outlook to add jobs, that should bolster consumer confidence and spending.
Many business executives have expressed concern about slowing global growth.