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.

Available jobs in the United States in December dropped their lowest total since September, according to the new Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey released by the Labor Department on Tuesday.

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.

U.S. job openings dropped sharply in December, but low layoffs suggested that the labor market was not abruptly slowing down.