US job openings fall to lowest level in over five years as labor market cools
Job openings fell to 6.54 million in December marking the lowest level in over five years. This decline suggests a softening labor market as 2025 concluded.
U.S. 
US job openings fell by 386,000 to 6.542 million in December 2025, signaling a measurable softening in labor market demand at the end of the year. According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) released on February 5, 2026, the estimate for November was also revised downward to 6.928 million. This decline brings the number of unfilled positions in the US US to its lowest level since September 2020.
US job openings fell by 386,000 to 6.542 million in December 2025, signaling a measurable softening in labor market demand at the end of the year. According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) released on February 5, 2026, the estimate for November was also revised downward to 6.928 million. This decline brings the number of unfilled positions in the US US to its lowest level since September 2020.The December figure was notably lower than the 7.20 million job openings expected by economists in a Reuters poll. This larger-than-expected drop, combined with the material downward revision to the November data, has changed the immediate assessment of labor-market strength. The data suggests that while the US US economy remained active, the demand for new labor cooled significantly as 2025 came to a close.
US economy remained active, the demand for new labor cooled significantly as 2025 came to a close.
