All articles tagged with #jolts
U.S. job openings in May rose to 7.6 million, matching April and beating economists’ 7.3 million forecast; gains were led by wholesale trade and accommodations/food services, while healthcare and finance declined. The quits rate held at 1.9%, hires at 3.3%, and layoffs edged up slightly, with rates hovering around 1%–1.2% since mid-2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ JOLTS report.
U.S. job openings rose to about 7.6 million in May, a two-year high that beat economists’ expectations for a decline, signaling the labor market remains poised for expansion even as hiring cooled for the third straight month and uncertainty from the Iran war persists.
U.S. job openings rose to 7.6 million in April, signaling persistent demand for labor even as economic fallout from the Iran war weighs on broader activity.
The February 2026 JOLTS release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows job openings at 6.9 million (little changed), hires at 4.8 million, and total separations at 5.0 million. Within separations, quits were 3.0 million and layoffs/discharges 1.7 million, signaling a still-tight but softening U.S. labor market across the total nonfarm sector and by establishment size/industry.
Stocks fell to start the week, and traders will focus on Tuesday’s JOLTS jobs data, the Chicago PMI for manufacturing signals, and crude oil moves amid U.S.–Iran tensions, all of which could influence wage pressures and Fed expectations.
U.S. job openings exceeded forecasts at the start of the year, signaling that hiring remains resilient in parts of the economy even as the broader labor market shows signs of cooling.
The Dow Jones declined about 0.6% as January planned layoffs jumped 118% year-over-year to 108,435—the highest since 2009—led by UPS and Amazon; hiring slowed to 5,306 new hires, while JOLTS showed 6.542 million job openings (below the 7.25 million expected). Initial jobless claims rose to 231,000 and continuing claims to 1.844 million, signaling softer labor conditions and weighing on the Dow, with tech names and the DIA ETF contributing to the declines.
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 December 2025 JOLTS release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows job openings easing to 6.5 million, while hires and total separations remain essentially unchanged at 5.3 million each. Quits are 3.2 million and layoffs/discharges 1.8 million, with the report covering the total nonfarm sector by industry and establishment size.
Recent data shows the U.S. has the fewest job openings in nearly a year, signaling a cooling labor market, which raises concerns about potential impacts on Federal Reserve policy and market stability ahead of Friday's jobs report.
US job openings unexpectedly increased to 7.39 million in April, indicating a resilient labor demand despite economic uncertainties, with hiring rising and layoffs also climbing, suggesting a complex but stable job market.
Job openings in January dipped to their lowest level since March 2021, with 8.86 million open positions, while the quits rate, a measure of worker confidence, decreased to 2.1%. Despite this, the labor market is still considered strong, according to economists. Wage gains for job changers increased in February, indicating ongoing tightness in the labor market, but there are signs that wage growth may slow in the future, potentially impacting inflation. The February jobs report is expected to show a decrease in wage growth and the addition of 200,000 jobs to the US economy, with an unchanged unemployment rate of 3.7%.
Job openings in January dipped to their lowest level since March 2021, with 8.86 million open positions, while the quits rate decreased to 2.1%, signaling confidence among workers. The labor market is described as "still quite strong" by economists, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell noted that supply and demand conditions are improving. Wage gains for job changers increased in February, indicating ongoing tightness in the labor market, but there are signs pointing to potential wage deceleration in the future. Economists expect the February jobs report to show 200,000 jobs added and a 4.3% wage growth, down from 4.5% in January.
The latest JOLTS data for December showed job openings at 9.026 million, surpassing the 8.750 million estimate, with the quits rate remaining unchanged at 2.2%. Despite little change in layoffs and discharges, hires were also relatively stable. Total separations, including quits, layoffs, and discharges, remained at 5.4 million. The data, while near post-pandemic lows, exceeded expectations. US yields are trading near highs, with the 2-year yield at 4.346%, 5-year at 4.005%, 10-year at 4.083%, and 30-year at 4.306%.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for November revealed significant disparities in job openings across industries. Construction is experiencing a boom with a 44% increase in job openings since 2019, reaching the highest number in the data set. In contrast, the information sector, which includes tech and social media companies, saw a 20% decline in job openings compared to 2019. Other sectors like professional and business services, manufacturing, and healthcare continue to have a tight labor market with job openings significantly higher than in 2019, while retail trade has seen a decrease. State and local government education sectors still show signs of teacher shortages, and wholesale trade has seen a slight increase in job openings.