Job openings in April surged to 7.6 million, the highest in nearly two years
Hiring weakened even as vacancies climbed, suggesting employers remain cautious amid economic uncertainty and a low-fire labor market, economists said.
- U.S. job vacancies surged by 731,000 to reach 7.6 million in April, marking an unexpected rebound to the highest level of labor demand since mid-2024 despite persistent macro economic headwinds.
- The data heavily beat economist expectations of 6.8 million to 6.9 million open positions, defying concerns that the broader economic fallout and rising energy costs from the conflict with Iran would depress hiring markets.
- Virtually the entire monthly increase was driven by the professional and business services sector, which added 668,000 vacancies to hit a three-year peak, comfortably offsetting a notable 135,000 decline in finance and insurance openings.
- The broader labor market settled into a distinct "low-hire, low-fire" dynamic, with actual gross hiring dropping to 5.1 million and layoffs remaining historically constrained at 1.7 million as both workers and employers largely avoided making sudden moves.
- The unexpected job openings surge was heavily concentrated among the nation's largest corporate giants, while hiring demand at small and midsize employers—which make up roughly 90% of the aggregate data—remained relatively flat and stable.
76 Articles
76 Articles
US job openings pick back up
US job openings in April rose to their highest level in nearly two years as layoffs fell, the latest sign of stability in the labor market. Professional and business services roles accounted for almost all of the increase, following a bleak 2025 for white-collar jobs. While hiring rates are still low, “at least companies appear to be hunting for talent again,” one economist said. The growth further dents the case for an interest rate cut, as US …
The Department of Labour registered an increase of 7.6 million vacant posts at the end of April
US job openings climb in April despite fallout from the Iran war
U.S. job openings jumped in April as the labor market looked resilient despite economic uncertainty caused by the Iran war. U.S. employers posted 7.6 million job vacancies in April, the Labor Department reported Tuesday, up from 6.9 million in March and the most since May 2024. Economists had forecast just 6.8 million openings. The department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showed that layoffs fell but so did the number of Americans qui…
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US Job Openings Jump to 7.6 Million in April as Hiring, Separations Ease
Get latest articles and stories on Business at LatestLY. US job openings rose sharply in April to 7.6 million, a gain of 731,000 over the month, while hiring and overall separations both eased, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday. The data suggests demand for labour remains strong even as worker movement in payrolls cooled. Business News | US Job Openings Jump to 7.6 Million in April as Hiring, Separations Ease.
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