The number of US job openings in May fell 5.9% from April to 5.5 million, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of hires also edged down 1.0% from April.

However, the prior three-month average change in job openings was up 80,000.

The number of job openings decreased for total private and was little changed for government. Job openings decreased in a number of industries, led by a decrease of 104,000 in wholesale. “Other services” and real estate and rental and leasing followed, down 98,000 and 53,000, respectively.

Regionally, the number of job openings decreased in the South and the Midwest.

The job openings rate — a measure of job openings compared with total employment — fell to 3.7% from 3.9% in April.

The number of hires edged down by 49,000 to 5.0 million in May, a 1.0% decrease. Hires were little changed in all industries and in all regions in May.

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