US job openings at 7.67M in July, lower than estimates

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US job openings stood at approximately 7.67 million in July, according to Labor Department figures released Wednesday.

The figure came in much lower than market expectations of 8.09 million.

Job openings for June were revised down to 7.91 million from 8.18 million.

In July, the number of hires was little changed around 5.5 million and its rate stood at 3.5%.

Total separations, which include quitting, layoffs, and discharges, rose by 336,000 to reach 5.4 million in July, while its rate remained steady at 3.4%.

Around 3.3 million workers left their jobs in the world's largest economy during the month of July, staying around a rate of 2.1% 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.