US job openings little changed in September

The number of job openings was little changed on the last business day of September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with hires and total separations broadly flat at 6.5m and 6.2m, respectively.

The number and rate of job openings were little changed at 10.4m and 6.6%, with job openings increasing in health care and social assistance, state and local government, excluding education, wholesale trade and information (+51,000) but decreasing in state and local government education, real estate and rental and leasing, educational services and other services.

Hires increased in health care and social assistance and finance and insurance, while hires decreased in state and local government education and educational services.

Within separations, the quits level and rate increased to a series high of 4.4m and 3.0%, respectively, while the layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged at 0.9%.

Over the 12 months ended 30 September, hires totalled 73.3m and separations came to 67.7m, yielding a net employment gain of 5.6m.