The number of US workers quitting their jobs edged downward by 161,000 in December to 4.5 million, following the record high set in November, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The quits rate was also little changed at 2.9%, down from 3.0% in November.

The industries seeing the largest decreases in quits were “health care and social assistance” which fell by 89,000; “accommodation and food services,” down by 64,000; and construction, down by 44,000. The industry seeing the largest increase in quits was “nondurable goods manufacturing,” which rose by 19,000.

Total separations — quits, layoffs and discharges — fell by 305,000 in December.

The BLS also reported the number of job openings rose by 150,000 in December from November to 10.9 million; they were up by nearly 4.2 million on a year-over-year basis. However, the number of hires fell by 333,000 to about 6.3 million.

US job openings increased to near-record highs in December, suggesting a deceleration in employment growth at the end of last year was largely the result of worker shortages, Reuters reported. Its poll of economists had forecast 10.3 million vacancies.

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