U.S. Job Openings Rise in January While Hiring Remains Soft
U.S. job openings increased in January, but hiring activity remained relatively weak, suggesting the labor market continues to stabilize rather than accelerate.
According to the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job openings—an important indicator of labor demand—rose by 396,000 to reach 6.946 million by the end of January. The figures were released in the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) on Friday.
Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected approximately 6.70 million available positions. The job openings rate also increased slightly to 4.2%, up from 4.0% in December.
Job Openings Data Revised Lower for 2025
The BLS also updated its JOLTS data for 2025, showing downward revisions for nearly every month except December. On average, job openings stood at 7.1 million during the year, marking a decline of 571,000 compared with 2024.
The average job openings rate for 2025 was 4.3%, down from 4.6% recorded in the previous year. These revisions indicate that labor demand cooled gradually over the past year.
Hiring Growth Remains Modest
Hiring activity in January showed only a modest improvement. The number of hires rose by 22,000 to 5.294 million, while the hiring rate remained unchanged at 3.3%.
Over the course of 2025, the total number of hires fell by 1.5 million to 63.0 million, reflecting slower hiring momentum across the U.S. labor market.
Layoffs Decline in January
Layoffs and discharges declined by 35,000 in January, bringing the total to 1.631 million. The layoffs rate dropped slightly to 1.0%, compared with 1.1% in December.
Despite the monthly decline, layoffs and discharges increased by 1.2 million during 2025, reaching 21.2 million for the year.
Overall, the latest JOLTS report suggests that while job openings remain relatively strong, hiring activity has slowed, pointing to a more balanced and stable U.S. labor market.
