U.S. Job Openings Fall to 7.08 Million in August; Labor Market Remains Resilient

U.S. employers posted 7.08 million job openings in August, down from a revised 7.34 million in July and below the 7.2 million forecast, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. Layoffs declined and quits were little changed, signaling continued worker confidence despite higher energy costs tied to conflict with Iran. The JOLTS data underscore a sturdy but unspectacular labor market. Employers have added an average 80,000 jobs a month in 2026, up sharply from 9,700 a month last year, when high interest rates and uncertainty over President Donald Trump's trade policies curbed hiring. Friday's September jobs report is expected to show a gain of 95,000, down from 162,000 in August, with unemployment holding at 4.1%, according to FactSet. Hiring remains well below the 166,000 monthly average in 2023-2024 and the 491,000 recorded during the 2021-2022 post-COVID boom.