Overview
- Employers reported 7.67 million vacancies in October, essentially unchanged from September’s 7.66 million and a five‑month high.
- Hiring remained stalled, layoffs increased, and the quits rate fell to a five‑year low, signaling softer worker confidence.
- A 43‑day federal shutdown delayed the data, and the Labor Department did not publish an October unemployment rate.
- The October JOLTS release folded in previously unpublished September figures, reflecting the disruption to BLS field operations.
- Openings have retreated from a 12.1 million peak in March 2022 as higher interest rates cooled labor demand, a trend Fed officials are weighing as they consider possible rate cuts.