Labor market shows cracks as December JOLTS signals softer openings
TL;DR
December JOLTS data show job openings fell to 6.5 million and the openings rate to 3.9%, while hiring rose only modestly to 3.3%, signaling softer demand for workers. The downturn is echoed by rising unemployment claims and notable layoffs, though some indicators (like Bank of America data) suggest pockets of improvement, leaving the labor market in a fragile stabilization phase that could influence Fed decisions.
- The jobs market is starting to show hard-to-ignore cracks Axios
- Job openings plummet in warning sign for Trump's economy Politico
- US job openings fall to 6.5 million, fewest since 2020, as labor market remains sluggish ABC News
- US job openings dropped to a five-year low in December 2025, report shows The Guardian
- U.S. Economy Shed Nearly 1 Million Job Openings Last Year The Wall Street Journal
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