The number of US job openings edged slightly lower in October to 5.5m from 5.4m in September, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There was a small rise in the number of hires from 5m in September to 5.1m in October.

Another measure of the health of the US labour market indicated that workers are increasingly confident. The number of quits, or the number of job terminations initiated by employees, increased slightly from 2.7m in September to 2.8m in October.