US job openings near record

Washington: US businesses posted a near-record level of open jobs in January, a trend that has pushed up worker's pay and added to inflationary pressures in the US.

Employers posted 11.3 million jobs at the end of January, down slightly from a record of 11.4 million in December, the Labour Department said on Wednesday.

The figures are for January and as a result do not reflect any potential impact from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, though few economists anticipate the war will reduce hiring soon.