US job openings at 7.44M in September, lower than estimates

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US job openings stood at approximately 7.44 million in September, according to Labor Department figures released Tuesday.

The figure came in much lower than market expectations of 7.98 million.Job openings for August stood at 7.86 million.

In September, the number of hires was little changed around 5.6 million and its rate stood at 3.5%.

Total separations, which include quitting, layoffs, and discharges, fell by 326,000 to 5.2 million in July, while its rate remained steady at 3.3%.

Around 3.1 million workers left their jobs in the world's largest economy during September, staying around a rate of 1.9% the agency said in a statement.

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 done.