Figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed monthly jobs openings — a gauge of the U.S. economy that's closely watched by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen — were little changed in December.
The bureau's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS) revealed that monthly job openings were at 5.5 million on the last business day of December, a figure in line with what economists expected, according to a consensus estimate from Thomson Reuters. Job openings were at 5.5 million in the previous month.
Over the months, hires and separations were little changed at 5.3 million and five million, respectively. The "quits" rate was little changed at 2% as well as the layoffs and discharges rate at 1.1%.
The report is a key barometer of economic conditions, measuring job postings in different sectors, and the number of hires and layoffs.
