US job openings hold steady in August

29th Sep 2026 15:09

(Sharecast News) - US job openings were little changed in August, according to the latest JOLTS report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, holding at 7.1m, with hires and separations also broadly steady.

Hires came in at 5.2m, while total separations were unchanged at 5.1m. Within separations, quits held at 3.1m and layoffs and discharges at 1.6m, pointing to continued labour‑market stability.

The job‑openings rate was 4.3%, with little movement across industries, while the separations rate stayed at 3.2%, though state and local government education saw a 30,000 drop.

Quits were flat overall but fell in wholesale trade and education, while rising in non-durable manufacturing and private educational services. Layoffs and discharges showed minimal change across sectors.

By establishment size, openings dipped among firms with one to nine employees, while other size categories saw little movement. Large employers with 5,000 or more staff reported no meaningful shifts in openings, hires or separations.

July's figures were revised higher, with job openings lifted to 7.3m, hires to 5.1m, and separations to 5.1m, reflecting additional survey responses and updated seasonal factors.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com