In April, job opportunities in the US increased unexpectedly, indicating the strength of the American job market.

WASHINGTON — U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in April, indicating the labor market’s resilience despite uncertainties stemming from President Donald Trump’s trade disputes.

According to the Labor Department’s report on Tuesday, employers listed 7.4 million job openings in April, a rise from 7.2 million in March. Economists’ projections had anticipated a decline to 7.1 million.

But the number of Americans quitting their job – a sign of confidence in their prospects – fell, and layoffs ticked higher.

Despite the decrease from the peak of 12.1 million job openings in March 2022, a period of economic recovery from COVID-19 lockdowns, the current level of 7.4 million openings remains significantly high compared to historical data.

The American job market has remained strong in the face of high interest rates engineered by the Federal Reserve in 2022 and 2023 to fight a resurgence of inflation.

The economic outlook is uncertain, largely because of Trump’s economic policies – huge taxes on imports, purges of federal workers and the deportation of immigrants working in the United States illegally.

The Labor Department is expected to report Friday that employers added 130,000 jobs last month, down from 177,000 in March. The unemployment rate is expected to stay at a low 4.2%, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.