The U.S. labor market showed little change in July, with the number of available jobs remaining at 7.3 million, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) found that the job openings rate held at 4.4% during the month. Employers hired about 5.1 million workers, while total separations also remained at approximately 5.1 million.
Within separations, about 3.1 million workers quit their jobs voluntarily, while 1.7 million were laid off or discharged. Both figures were little changed from the previous month.
There were some shifts across industries. Job openings increased by 76,000 in durable goods manufacturing, while hiring in professional and business services declined by 188,000.
The relatively stable number of quits suggests workers' willingness to leave existing jobs remained broadly unchanged in July. Quits are generally considered an indicator of worker confidence in the labor market because employees are more likely to leave voluntarily when they believe other opportunities are available.
Overall, the July data point to a labor market that remains active but is showing limited month-to-month movement. Job openings, hiring and total separations all remained near their recent levels, with no major change across most industries.
