Washington: The number of job openings in the US increased to 6.95 million in January, surpassing market expectations, the US Department of Labor reported on Friday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) indicated a rise of 396,000 job openings compared to the previous month. Market predictions had estimated the number of job openings to be 6.76 million for this period.

The data from December 2025 showed job openings at 6.55 million. Notably, the finance and insurance sectors experienced an increase in job openings during this time.

Additionally, the number of hires rose by 22,000, reaching 5.29 million. In contrast, the number of people leaving their jobs, including resignations and layoffs, decreased by 98,000, totaling 5.1 million.