US job openings rose last month amid mixed picture for labor market [Video]

WASHINGTON — The number of job postings in the United States rebounded in October from a 3 1/2 year low in September, a sign that businesses are still seeking workers even though hiring has cooled.

Openings rose 5% to 7.7 million from 7.4 million in September, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Still, the figure is down significantly from 8.7 million job postings a year ago.

Last month, job openings rose sharply in professional and business services, a category that includes engineers, tech employees and accountants, as well as in the restaurant and hotel and finance industries.

At the same time, overall hiring dropped, the report showed, evidence that the job market has lost momentum from earlier in the year. The number of Americans who quit their jobs rebounded in October, though, to 3.4 …