US job openings fell in November to 6.9M

Washington – U.S. job openings fell in November from the previous month, but the number of available positions remained healthy.

The Labor Department says job openings slipped 3.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted 6.9 million. That is the fewest openings in five months, but still 16 percent higher than a year ago.

The job market remains strong despite sharp stock market declines last month, interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve, and a slowing global economy that is also bedeviled by trade fights. Last week’s blockbuster jobs report helped assuage concerns about the economy, as it showed that hiring reached a 10-month high in December.

The number of people quitting fell in November, the report showed, but the total also stayed at a solid level.