By Ovunc Kutlu
ISTANBUL (AA) - US job openings rose to 9.55 million in September, beating estimates, according to Labor Department figures released Wednesday.
The expectation for the figure was to come in at 9.25 million, while the figure in August was revised from 9.61 to just below 9.5 million.
In September, the number of hires changed little at 5.9 million and the rate was 3.7% for the third month in a row, the agency said in a statement.
Total separations, which include resignations, layoffs and discharges, was also flat at 5.5 million in September with its rate at 3.5%, it added.
Around 3.7 million workers left their jobs in the world's largest economy in September, while its rate was 2.3% for the third consecutive month, said the agency.
The Labor Department's survey measures job vacancies by collecting data from employers about employment, job openings, hiring and separations.
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, considers job openings for all positions that are open or not filled on the last business day of the month when the survey is conducted.