September JOLTS: Results, market reaction, and key takeaway
September job openings were 7.523M, versus a revised 7.190M in August. Hires were 5.402M and total separations 5.319M. Quits increased to 3.4M, while layoffs and discharges were little changed at 1.6M.
📊 Results
Actual Reading
💡 Key Takeaway
BLS characterized openings and hiring as little changed, while quits increased. Labor demand frames the rate backdrop for AI equities; aggregate turnover does not establish AI-driven displacement.
📖 Why This Matters
September openings, hires, and quits: is the low-churn labor market holding?
September JOLTS actual vs expected
| Release date | Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at 10:00 ET |
|---|---|
| Event type | JOLTS |
| Actual | 7.52M openings |
| Prior | 7.19M openings |
📚 Related calendar tools and guides
🔗 Related Events
January JOLTS
Job openings rose to 6.946 million in January, a modest rebound from December's depressed level. Hiring stayed soft, signaling labor demand was stabilizing but not re-accelerating.
February JOLTS
Job openings fell to 6.882 million in February, below the 6.918 million consensus. Hiring dropped to the weakest pace since the pandemic, reinforcing a cooling labor-market backdrop.
June JOLTS
Job openings were little changed at 7.4M in June versus 7.5M prior. Hires held at 5.3M, total separations were 5.4M, quits stayed at 3.2M, and layoffs/discharges held at 1.8M.