US job openings rose to 7.52 million in September

US employers reported 7.523 million job openings in September, up 333,000 from August and above market expectations.

The figures come from the Labor Department’s JOLTS survey, which tracks job openings, hires and separations.

Openings reached their highest level since May, after falling to 6.9 million in March.

The increase was concentrated in some areas, including manufacturing, construction and wholesale trade.

Hiring also increased, while the number of people who quit their jobs reached its highest level since March 2025.

The data raise hopes of stronger hiring, but employment had been weak for about three years and the improvement needs to last several months to confirm a recovery.