The job opening rate for durable goods manufacturing hit 4 percent, the highest ever recorded in data going back to 2000, according to a report issued Monday by the Department of Labor. That’s an increase from 3.7 percent a month earlier.
The figures suggest that tariffs are not hurting U.S. manufacturers.
Durable goods manufacturing was one area that was thought to be particularly exposed both to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and retaliatory tariffs from China and others. But the Labor Department said there were 332,000 job openings in the sector in October. In addition, there were 227,000 durable goods hires.
These are signs of continued expansion for U.S. factories and heavy demand for products made in the U.S. – READ MORE