US job openings fall to 10.8M in January

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US job openings fell to 10.8 million in January, coming in higher than market expectations of 10.5 million, according to Labor Department figures.

The number and rate of job openings decreased by 410,000 and 6.5%, respectively, the department said in a statement on Wednesday.

The figure in December stood just above 11.2 million.

There was little movement in the number and rate of hires at 6.4 million and 4.1%, respectively.

Total separations, which include employees leaving, layoffs and discharges, also remained steady at around 5.9 million in January, while the rate stood at 3.8%.

Around 3.9 million workers left their jobs in January, while its rate was 2.5%, according to the figures.

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.