US companies advertised fewer positions still in April, a possible reflection of the ongoing cooldown in the demand for labour.
According to the Department of Labor, in seasonally adjusted term the number of job openings declined by 3.5% month-on-month to reach nearly 8.06m (consensus: 8.34m).
Furthermore, the prior month’s reading was revised lower from 8.488m to 8.355m.
The number of so-called ‘quits’ increased by 2.9% month-on-month to reach 3.507m, but as a proportion of all separations they were unchanged at 2.2%.
Quits are voluntary separations by workers from their positions and increases are thought to imply greater confidence in the prospect of finding alternate employment.
Hiring meanwhile was up by 0.4% versus March at 5.64m.
— More to follow —