U.S. Job Openings at Record High in July; Hiring Lags

U.S. job openings surged to a record high in July, but a lag in hiring suggested employers were struggling to find qualified workers to fill the positions.

Job openings, a measure of labor demand, increased 228,000 to a seasonally adjusted 5.9 million, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. That was the highest level since the series started in December 2000 and pushed the jobs openings rate to 3.9 percent in July from 3.8 percent in June.

Hiring was little changed at 5.2 million in July, keeping the hiring rate steady at 3.6 percent for a second straight month.

(Reporting By Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)