WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. job openings rose much more than expected in September while layoffs declined, pointing to underlying labor market strength despite weak employment growth during the month.

Job openings, a measure of labor demand, increased by 333,000 to 7.523 million on the last day of September, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said November 3 in its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS report.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 7.100 million vacancies.

August's figure was revised slightly higher to 7.190 million openings from the previously reported 7.079 million.

The job openings rate increased to 4.5 percent in September from 4.3 percent in August.

The JOLTS survey has been affected by a low response rate, which has fallen considerably from levels recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Economists view the labor market as remaining in a "low-hire, low-fire" state, with strong profits and resilient domestic demand helping to keep layoffs near historic lows.

The ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has, however, made employers hesitant to increase hiring, economists said.

Hiring rose by 131,000 to 5.402 million in September. The hiring rate edged up to 3.4 percent from 3.3 percent in August.

Layoffs and discharges fell by 127,000 to 1.641 million, while the layoffs rate declined to 1.0 percent from 1.1 percent.

The figures suggest labor demand remained relatively firm even as overall employment growth was subdued during September.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by just 29,000 jobs in September.

A survey of economists expects payrolls to have risen by 65,000 in October, while the unemployment rate is forecast to remain unchanged at 4.2 percent.