US job openings decline by less than anticipated in January

According to the US Department of Labor, in seasonally adjusted terms job opening were down by 3.6% month-on-month to 10.824m.

Economists at Barclays Research had anticipated a decline to 10.3m.

December's level for job openings was revised up from 11.012m to 11.234m.

Hiring rose by 1.9% versus December to 6.372m and the number of voluntary separations or so-called 'quits' fell by 5.1% on the month to 3.884m.

Hence the quits rate ticked lower by a tenth of a percentage point to 2.5%.

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