Job openings in the US fell by 256,000 to 7.079 million in August 2026 from an upwardly revised 7.335 million in July, below market expectations of 7.23 million. Job openings fell in health care and social assistance (-115,000), professional and business services (-119,000), manufacturing (-54,000), construction (-48,000), real estate and rental and leasing (-45,000) and wholesale trade (-36,000). Regionally, openings fell in the Northeast (-78,000), the Midwest (-6,000) and the West (-243,000), but rose in the South (+71,000). Hires changed little at 5.2 million, while total separations were unchanged at 5.1 million. Within separations, quits (3.1 million) were unchanged, while layoffs and discharges (1.6 million) were essentially unchanged.