US job openings climb to 7.6 million in April, led by professional services

The U.S. Labor Department reported that job openings rose to 7.62 million in April, the highest level since May 2024 and up by roughly 731,000 from March. The surge was driven almost entirely by professional and business services, which added 668,000 positions and accounted for more than 90% of the net increase.

Hiring activity remained modest, with employers adding about 5.1 million workers in April, down from 5.5 million in March. The number of voluntary quits fell to 2.98 million, indicating continued worker caution. While some sectors such as finance, retail trade, and hospitality saw declines in openings, the overall labour market showed renewed demand for white‑collar roles.

Analysts noted that the stronger vacancy data could influence the Federal Reserve’s monetary‑policy outlook, providing less evidence of a weakening economy that would justify immediate interest‑rate cuts.