U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in November, showing companies are still looking for workers even as the labor market has cooled overall.
Openings rose to 8.1 million in November from 7.8 million in October, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.
They were down from 8.9 million a year earlier and a peak of 12.2 million in March 2022 as the economy was roaring back from COVID-19 lockdowns. But they still exceed pre-pandemic levels.
Economists had expected job openings to fall slightly in November.
