US job openings fall to 10.4M in August, first in 8 months

By Aysu Bicer

ANKARA (AA) - American job openings fell 659,000, or 6.6% to 10.4 million, the first time since Dec. 2020, according to a survey by the US Labor Department that was released Tuesday.

The market expectation for job openings was 10.9 million.

Job openings diminished in several industries with the largest decreases seen in health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services (178,000) and state and local government education (124,000).

Openings increased the most in federal government (22,000).

In August, the number and rate of hires decreased to 6.3 million (439,000) -- a 4.3% fall.

Hires decreased in accommodation and food services and state and local government education.

The survey measures job vacancies by collecting data from employers about employment, job openings, hiring and separations.

The survey considers job openings as all positions that are open, or not filled, on the last business day of the month that the survey is done.