U.S. employers posted fewer jobs in May, signaling a weakening economy despite the fact that job openings continue to remain at high levels.
“On the last business day of May, the number and rate of job openings decreased to 11.3 million (-427,000) and 6.9 percent, respectively. The largest decreases in job openings were in professional and business services (-325,000), durable goods manufacturing (-138,000), and nondurable goods manufacturing (-70,000),” said a July 6 press release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The number of hires remained “little changed” at 6.5 million and the hires rate was “unchanged” at 4.3 percent. The number of total separations—including quits, layoffs, and discharges as well as other separations—was “little changed” at 6 million. The separation rate remained “unchanged” at 3.9 percent….