Job openings in the U.S. fell to 7.6 million on the last business day of December, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s down from 8.1 million in November and marks the lowest level since September (7.3 million)—which had been the lowest since January 2021.
📉 Key declines:
- Professional and business services: -225,000
- Health care and social assistance: -180,000
- Finance and insurance: -136,000
🎭 Bright spot: Job openings increased in arts, entertainment, and recreation by +65,000.
📊 The big picture:
- Total separations held steady at 5.3 million.
- Quits ticked up slightly to 3.2 million, but that’s still the third-lowest level of 2024.
📢 Bottom line: The labor market is cooling, reinforcing expectations that the era of rapid post-pandemic job churn is coming to an end.