US job postings rose to highest level in April since 2024, BLS says
The labor department recorded an increase of 7.6 million vacant positions at the end of April
Although the war against Iran aroused strong economic uncertainty, disrupting certain economic and commercial sectors, according to data from the Department of Labor published this Tuesday, job offers in the United States registered an increase of 7.6 million vacant positions at the end of April, being one of the highest levels for two years.
Although, since inflation soared, the labor market has been severely tightened with a large wave of cuts, especially in the technology and retail sectors, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) suggests that by the end of the first quarter there was better employment growth unlike previous years.
However, the report also highlights that the labor market is still trapped between this dynamic of few layoffs, but low hiring. So a trend is emerging where employees are clinging to their jobs, causing voluntary resignations to fall to 2.98 million during the month of April, one of the lowest figures since 2020.
But this need to hold on to their jobs is also an indicator of the lack of confidence employees have in the current job market. Many economists warned that the development of the war in the Middle East would not only bring severe crises to the oil market, but would also slow down labor activity in the country.
The BLS analysis also detailed that more than 90% of job offers were generated in sectors such as business and professional services.
Finally, this Friday the official labor report for the month of May will be published by the Department of Labor, where it is expected that some 100,000 positions were added last month.

