US JOLTS Job openings set to rebound slightly in October

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US JOLTS Job openings set to rebound slightly in October

The US JOLTS data will be watched closely ahead of the release of the November employment report on Friday.
Job openings are forecast to remain below 8 million in October.
The state of the labor market is a key factor for Fed officials when setting policy.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) will be released on Tuesday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The publication will provide data about the change in the number of job openings in October, alongside the number of layoffs and quits.

JOLTS data is scrutinized by market participants and Federal Reserve (Fed) policymakers because it can provide valuable insights regarding the supply-demand dynamics in the labor market, a key factor impacting salaries and inflation. Job openings have been declining steadily since coming in above 12 million in March 2022, indicating a steady cooldown in labor market conditions. In September, the number of jobs declined to 7.44 million, marking the lowest reading since January 2021.

What to expect in the next JOLTS report?

Markets expect job openings to stand at around 7.5 million on the last business day of October. Federal Reserve (Fed) policymakers have made it clear after the July policy meeting that they are shifting their focus to the labor market, given the encouraging signs of inflation retreating toward the central bank’s target.

It is important to note that while the JOLTS data refers to the end of October, the official Employment report, which will be released on Friday, measures data for November.

In October, Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) rose by only 12,000, as hurricanes and labor strikes impacted hiring in a significantly negative way. Commenting on the employment situation in the US, “the labor market is close to stable, full employment,” said Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee. “It may make sense to slow pace of interest rate cuts as the Fed gets close to where rates will settle,” he added, saying that he has gotten more comfort from the fact that they are not “crashing through full employment.”

The CME FedWatch Tool currently shows that markets are pricing in about a 65% probability of another 25 basis points (bps) rate cut in December. In case there is a positive surprise in the job openings data, with a reading of at or above 8 million, the immediate reaction could boost the US Dollar (USD) by causing investors to reassess the probability of a December rate cut. On the other hand, a disappointing print at or below 7 million could hurt the USD.

"Over the month, hires changed little at 5.6 million. The number of total separations was unchanged at 5.2 million," the BLS noted in its September JOLTS report. "Within separations, quits (3.1 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.8 million) changed little."

Employment FAQs

How do employment levels affect currencies?

Labor market conditions are a key element to assess the health of an economy and thus a key driver for currency valuation. High employment, or low unemployment, has positive implications for consumer spending and thus economic growth, boosting the value of the local currency. Moreover, a very tight labor market – a situation in which there is a shortage of workers to fill open positions – can also have implications on inflation levels and thus monetary policy as low labor supply and high demand leads to higher wages.

Why is wage growth important?

The pace at which salaries are growing in an economy is key for policymakers. High wage growth means that households have more money to spend, usually leading to price increases in consumer goods. In contrast to more volatile sources of inflation such as energy prices, wage growth is seen as a key component of underlying and persisting inflation as salary increases are unlikely to be undone. Central banks around the world pay close attention to wage growth data when deciding on monetary policy.

How much do central banks care about employment?

The weight that each central bank assigns to labor market conditions depends on its objectives. Some central banks explicitly have mandates related to the labor market beyond controlling inflation levels. The US Federal Reserve (Fed), for example, has the dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and stable prices. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank’s (ECB) sole mandate is to keep inflation under control. Still, and despite whatever mandates they have, labor market conditions are an important factor for policymakers given its significance as a gauge of the health of the economy and their direct relationship to inflation.

When will the JOLTS report be released and how could it affect EUR/USD?

Job opening numbers will be published on Tuesday at 15:00 GMT. Eren Sengezer, European Session Lead Analyst at FXStreet, shares his view on the potential impact of JOLTS data on EUR/USD:

“Unless there is a significant divergence between the market expectation and the actual print, the market reaction to JOLTS data is likely to remain short-lived, with investors refraining from taking large positions ahead of the highly-anticipated November labor market data, which will be published on Friday.”

“EUR/USD’s near-term technical outlook suggests that the bearish bias remains intact. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator on the daily chart stays well below 50, and the pair continues to trade below the 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA).”

“On the upside, 1.0600 (Fibonacci 23.6% retracement level of the October-December downtrend, 20-day SMA) aligns as key resistance. If EUR/USD rises above this level and starts using it as support, technical buyers could take action. In this scenario, 1.0700 (Fibonacci 38.2% retracement) could be seen as the next hurdle ahead of 1.0800 (Fibonacci 50% retracement, 50-day SMA). Looking south, first support could be spotted at 1.0400 (end-point of the downtrend) before 1.0330 (November 22 low) and 1.0300 (static level, round level).”

Economic Indicator

JOLTS Job Openings

JOLTS Job Openings is a survey done by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to help measure job vacancies. It collects data from employers including retailers, manufacturers and different offices each month.