Job postings jumped sharply in September, a sign hiring could pick up

U.S. employers boosted job postings in September, pointing to the possibility of a pickup in hiring despite a still-fragile economy. The Labor Department reported that job openings rose to 7.5 million from a revised 7.19 million in August, the highest level since May and above a March low of 6.9 million. The JOLTS survey also showed gross hiring increased—meaning more hires before counting quits and layoffs—and layoffs fell in September. The gains are a hopeful sign, but the report notes the trend would need to persist for several months to signal genuine improvement in a labor market marked by low “churn.”