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Job openings in the U.S. increased in January, including in manufacturing, where they edged up slightly (AP).

What’s going on: “U.S. employers posted 7.7 million vacancies in January, the Labor Department reported Tuesday, up from 7.5 million,” a sign the labor market remains steady.

• Manufacturing saw its number of job openings rise also, to 462,000 in January from 431,000 in December, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The details: Manufacturing position vacancies went up in both durable and nondurable goods.

• Openings in durable goods inched up to 317,000 from December’s 291,000.
• Vacancies in nondurable goods rose less, to 144,000 from 140,000.

Hiring: Hiring in manufacturing increased overall in the same period, too.

• The industry brought in 332,000 new workers in January, up from 300,000 in December.
• In durable goods, hires went to 195,000 from 155,000.
• In nondurable goods, however, vacancies declined in January, to 137,000 from 145,000 the previous month.

Unemployment: The total U.S. unemployment rate remained low in January, at 4.1%.