Dec. job postings rise near 3-year high

WASHINGTON — The number of available jobs in the United States jumped in December to near a three-year high, the Labor Department said Tuesday.

Companies and governments advertised 3.38 million jobs in December, compared with 3.12 million in the previous month and nearly matching the three-year high reached in September.

Job openings in the private sector reached the highest point in almost 3½ years.

Still, overall hiring slipped, and the number of people who quit their jobs also declined.