By Mucahithan Avcioglu
ISTANBUL (AA) - US job openings hit 7.7 million in October, above market expectations, according to the Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey figures released Tuesday.
In September, job openings were at 7.658 million, following August data of 7.227 million.
The September data release was delayed due to the federal government shutdown and it was included in this report, the Bureau of Labor statistics said in a statement.
The number of hires saw little change, around 5.1 million, and the rate remained unchanged at 3.2% in October.
Total separations, which include quitting, layoffs, and discharges, were broadly stable at 5.1 million, at a constant 3.2% rate.
"Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations include separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm," the agency said in a statement.
Some 2.9 million workers left jobs in the world's largest economy in October, staying around a rate of 1.8%.
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 considers job openings for all positions that are open or not filled on the last business day of the month when the survey is taken.