(CN) - Employers across the United States advertised more job openings and stepped up their hiring in June, yet another sign that the job market is picking up steam.
The Labor Department said Wednesday that the number of job openings posted by employers rose 2 percent to 5.6 million in June, up from 5.5 million in May.
Hiring increased 1.7 percent in June to 5.1 million, a solid level but below a recent peak of 5.5 million in February, the department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said.
Wednesday's figures track gross hiring in June, as well as job openings, and come from a report known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey.
The numbers affirm previously released data from the government.
The Labor Department on Friday reported that U.S. employers added a net total of 292,000 jobs in June, the most in eight months.
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