US job openings fall to 10.3 million in October

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US job openings fell 353,000 to 10.3 million in October, according to Labor Department figures released Wednesday.

The figure came almost in line with estimates of 10.3 million, while the number in September stood just below 10.7 million.

"The rate changed little at 6.3 percent but was 1.0 percentage points lower than its peak in March 2022," the agency said in a statement.

There was little movement in the number and rate of hires at 6.0 million and 3.9%, respectively.

Total separations, which include employees leaving, layoffs and discharges, also remained steady at around 5.7 million in October, while the rate stood at 3.7%.

Around 4 million workers left their jobs in October, while the rate fell slightly to 2.6%, 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.