Job openings in the manufacturing sector rose last month to their highest level since December 2023, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed Tuesday.
Vacant positions in manufacturing rose to 584,000 in September from 530,000 in the prior month. Durable goods openings rose to 403,000 from 375,000, the second-highest since December 2023 (the recent peak was 423,000 in July).
Openings declined steadily during most of President Biden’s administration after peaking in April 2022. Shortly after President Trump took office, in April 2025, openings stopped falling. That coincided with the announcement of higher tariffs on many imported goods. They’ve been rising since November of 2025.
