U.S. job openings fell in December, a sign that the labor market is cooling but still healthy. Openings fell to 7.6 million, from 8.2 million in November, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. They were down from 8.

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), job openings dropped to 7.6 million in December, down nearly half a million from November's 8.1 million. Attention now turns to the January jobs report due out this Friday as economists figure out how the latest macroeconomic data and the Trump administration's policies fit into their labor market forecasts.

Job openings declined more than analysts expected in December, hitting their lowest level since September as investors continue to watch closely for any signs of cooling in the labor market.