WASHINGTON — U.S. employers posted 7.2 million job vacancies in July as the American labor market continues to cool.

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that job openings fell from 7.4 million in June and came in modestly below what economists had forecast.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that layoffs rose slightly. The number of Americans quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their ability to find better pay, opportunities or working conditions elsewhere — was almost unchanged from June at 3.2 million.

Jobs openings remain at healthy levels but have fallen steadily since peaking at a record 12.1 million in March 2022 as the U.S. economy roared back from COVID-19 lockdowns.

The U.S. job market has lost momentum this year, partly because of the ling

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