Job openings unexpectedly rose in recent months, climbing to 7.7 million in October, according to data released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Openings were last reported at 7.2 million in August, according to a report released on September 30, just prior to the government shutdown.
The report for September was not released in early October due to the government shutdown. The report released Tuesday showed openings in September rose to 7.658 million. Unrounded, the number of vacancies at the end of October rose to 7.670 million.
The October figure was higher than even the most optimistic estimates. The report for October was delayed by the government shutdown. The figures come from the government’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, known as JOLTS, and are adjusted for seasonal variation.
Openings climbed in manufacturing, rising from 385,000 in September to 410,000. The prior report had shown 409,000 in August.
Retail trade openings rose to 762,000 million from 620,000 million. Wholesale trade openings rose to 205,000 from 153,000. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities openings climbed to 396,000 from 620,000.
