US job openings at 8.14M in May, higher than expectations

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US job openings stood at approximately 8.14 million in May, according to Labor Department figures released Tuesday.

The figure came in higher than market expectations of 7.96 million.

Job openings for April were revised down to 7.92 million from 8.06 million.

In May, the number of hires was little changed around 5.8 million and its rate held at 3.6%.

Total separations, which include quitting, layoffs, and discharges, also remained little changed at around 5.4 million, its rate steady at 3.4%.

Around 3.5 million workers left their jobs in the world's largest economy during the month of March, staying at a rate of 2.2% for the sixth consecutive month, the agency said in a statement. "The quits rate was 2.2 percent in May, the seventh month in a row," it added.

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.