Business & Finance
US job openings rise slightly to 7.27 million in July
Labor Department data shows a resilient job market with fewer layoffs and low unemployment despite recent energy price pressures.
The short version
- U.S. job openings ticked up to 7.27 million in July, up from a revised 7.18 million in June.
- While layoffs fell, the number of employees quitting their jobs also decreased, indicating tighter labor market dynamics.
- Economists are waiting for the upcoming August employment report to see if the jobless rate ticks up from its current 4.1%.
Key facts
- According to the Labor Department's JOLTS report, U.S. job openings rose to 7.27 million in July from a revised 7.18 million in June.[Associated Press]
- The JOLTS report showed that both layoffs and the number of people quitting their jobs declined in July.[Associated Press]
- The current U.S. unemployment rate is 4.1%, with weekly unemployment benefit sign-ups remaining at a low level.[Associated Press]
- U.S. employers have added an average of 61,000 net jobs per month so far this year, which is an improvement over the sub-10,000 monthly average in 2025.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- Forecasters surveyed by FactSet anticipate that the upcoming August employment report may show 65,000 jobs added and a slight rise in the unemployment rate to 4.2%.[Associated Press]