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Global · Source: bls.gov
US job openings little changed at 7.5 million in September, BLS reports
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Editor: Hedal Kolanyi / AI-assisted
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Summary: The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on 3 November that job openings were little changed at 7.5 million in September. Quits rose, while layoffs and discharges were little changed.
What happened
According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), employers had 7.5 million job openings on the last business day of September, an openings rate of 4.5%. The BLS described the change as small. It revised August's figure up by 111,000 to 7.2 million.
Hires changed little at 5.4 million (a rate of 3.4%), as did total separations at 5.3 million (3.3%). Within separations, quits increased to 3.4 million, a rate of 2.1%, while layoffs and discharges were 1.6 million, or 1.0%.
The BLS also noted that August openings were revised up, and that quits were up 375,000 over the year. CNBC, which published its own analysis the same day, put September openings at 7.52 million, up 333,000 from August. It also reported that quits were the highest since March 2025 and that layoffs were the lowest since then. Those comparisons are CNBC's calculations, not BLS statements. CNBC said the Dow Jones consensus forecast for openings had been 7.15 million.
Background
JOLTS measures labour demand and turnover rather than employment itself. Job openings are a count of unfilled positions, hires and separations count movements in and out of jobs, and the quits rate is often read as a sign of how willing workers are to change jobs. The BLS figures are survey estimates, and earlier months are routinely revised.
CNBC reported that payrolls grew by only 29,000 in September and that economists polled expected 59,000 in the October report. Both numbers are CNBC's, the second is a forecast, and neither comes from the BLS release discussed here.
Why it matters for markets and crypto
Central banks look at job openings and quits when judging whether wage pressure could add to inflation. A labour market with many openings and few layoffs gives them less reason to expect weakness, while slower hiring points the other way. This article does not assess any specific asset. The data relates to the wider US economy, and a single month of JOLTS can be revised.
What to watch next
- 6 November, 08:30 ET (14:30 CET): BLS Employment Situation report for October.
- 1 December, 10:00 ET (16:00 CET): Next JOLTS release, covering October.
Sources
- US BLS: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary, 3 November 2026
- CNBC, 3 November 2026: job openings report analysis
- US BLS: Employment Situation release schedule (accessed 3 November 2026)
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