US job openings fall to 7.08 million in August, below forecasts

On September 29, 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported US job openings fell to 7.08 million in August from a revised 7.335 million in July, below the 7.225 million Reuters poll forecast and below Bloomberg survey estimates. The openings rate fell to 4.3% from 4.4%. Layoffs and discharges fell by 61,000 to 1.641 million. Hires rose by 46,000 to 5.192 million. Quits held at 3.1 million, a 1.9% rate matching the lowest since 2020. August nonfarm payrolls rose 162,000. Cory Stahle, senior economist at Indeed, said the report "does not inspire much confidence that the dynamism needed to meaningfully improve the overall employment picture will materialize any time soon," and that low hiring with even lower layoffs and quits "keeps payrolls growing but makes the labor market far less dynamic than it was a few years ago." There was about one job opening per unemployed worker, versus 2-to-1 at the 2022 peak. The Fed raised rates 25 basis points this month to 3.75%-4.00%, its first hike since 2023, saying job gains kept pace with the workforce while unemployment changed little. Consumer confidence fell to its weakest since 2014. Outlets agreed on the core totals, with Livemint at 7.079 million and others citing 7.1 million. Friday's September jobs report is expected to show 90,000-95,000 new jobs and unemployment at 4.1%.