US job openings increased in December 2011

Tampa Star (IANS) Wednesday 8th February, 2012

US job openings increased in December 2011, a positive sign of improving job market, the Labor Department reported.

The number of job openings in December was 3.4 million, up from 3.1 million in November 2011, the report said Tuesday.

Although the number of job openings remained below the 4.4 million level when the recession began in December 2007, the job openings rate has shown an upward trend since the end of the recession in June 2009, reported Xinhua.

The US unemployment rate edged down to 8.3 percent last month from 8.5 percent in December 2011, a near three-year low since February 2009, the Labor Department reported last Friday.

Some economists have argued that the country still needs stronger growth to put more people back to work.