US job openings little changed at 7.3 million in July as hiring stays subdued
The BLS JOLTS report showed 7.3 million job openings in July 2026, with June revised down by 177,000, while quits held at 3.1 million.
US job openings were little changed at 7.3 million in July 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) published on 1 September. The openings rate was 4.4%. June's figure was revised down by 177,000, to 7.2 million.
Hiring, quits and layoffs
- Hires: 5.1 million, a rate of 3.2%
- Total separations: 5.1 million, a rate of 3.2%
- Quits: 3.1 million, a rate of 1.9%
- Layoffs and discharges: 1.7 million, a rate of 1.0%
By industry, openings rose by 76,000 in durable goods manufacturing, while hires fell by 188,000 in professional and business services.
Reading JOLTS
JOLTS covers the month before the latest payrolls report, so traders use it mainly to judge the balance between demand for workers and supply. Quits are a useful signal: people leave jobs more readily when they're confident of finding another, so a quits rate of 1.9% is consistent with workers who are cautious about switching.
The August payrolls report, released after this survey, showed 162,000 jobs added but large downward revisions to June and July (details). For how the main jobs report works, see non-farm payrolls explained.
With the Federal Reserve deciding on 16 September, the labour data is being weighed against consumer price inflation of 3.4% (CPI report). See what currency traders are watching.
Sources
Common questions
How many job openings were there in the US in July 2026?
7.3 million, little changed from June, which was revised down to 7.2 million. The job openings rate was 4.4%.
What was the US quits rate in July 2026?
1.9%, with 3.1 million people quitting their jobs, according to the BLS JOLTS report.
What is the JOLTS report?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, which measures job openings, hires, quits and layoffs. It covers the month before the most recent payrolls report.
This article is for information only and is not financial advice. Trading forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money. Read the risk warning. Spotted an error? Tell the editors.
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