Job Openings Up 2% In June

Job openings rose 2.0 percent in June to a 5.624 million annualized rate from May's comparatively soft revised rate of 5.514 million. Openings peaked in April at 5.845 million, averaging 5.682 million over the first four months of the year. The June hires rate rose 1 tenth to 3.6 percent.

Openings in professional & business services, a sensitive category where gains point to general hiring strength ahead, rose 2.1 percent from May to 1.054 million. Construction and manufacturing were both higher.

The breakup side of the report shows a decline in separations, down 1 tenth to a 3.4 percent rate, and a 1 tenth dip in the layoffs rate to 1.1 percent. The quits rate, which offers indications on worker confidence to shift jobs, is once again unchanged, at 2.0 percent. This report shows new punch on the hiring side and favorable conditions on the breakup side in what is the latest good news out of the labor market.