US job openings fall short of forecasts in July, but hiring and quits rise

The number of open job positions in the US slipped in July, but Americans were a tad more confident when it came to risking trying to change employers.

According to the Department of Labor, in seasonally adjusted terms the number of job openings declined at a month-on-month pace of 3.0% to reach approximately 7.67m.

Economists had projected a reading of about 8.1m.

Job openings had originally been reported at 8.184m for June, but revised data now showed 7.910m.

Hiring on the other hand jumped by 5.2% over the month to reach 5.521m.

The so-called 'quits' rate, which tracks the proportion of voluntary job separations ticked higher by one tenth of a percentage point to 2.1%.

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