United States employers posted slightly more job openings in July, suggesting the labour market remained relatively resilient despite higher costs weighing on household budgets.
Job openings rose to 7.27 million in July from a revised 7.18 million in June, according to the U.S. Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).
Markets had expected the figure to reach 7.3 million.
The report also showed that layoffs declined during the month, although the number of workers quitting their jobs also fell, suggesting reduced confidence in finding better opportunities.
Gross hiring, before accounting for workers who left or lost their jobs, fell to 5.1 million in July from 5.3 million in June.
The U.S. labour market is showing little sign of booming but continues to hold up despite an energy shock caused by the conflict with Iran, which has placed additional pressure on household finances.
U.S. employers across the private and public sectors added an average of 61,000 net jobs a month during the first seven months of the year.
While that pace remains subdued, it represents an improvement from 2025, when monthly job growth averaged fewer than 10,000 positions, the weakest pace outside a recession since 2002.
The lingering impact of elevated interest rates and uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs has continued to discourage businesses from expanding their workforces.
However, subdued hiring has been accompanied by limited layoffs. The unemployment rate remains relatively low at 4.1%, while weekly applications for unemployment benefits have remained subdued.
The Labor Department is expected to report on Friday that U.S. employers added 58,000 jobs in August, with the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.1%.
