ALERT: US job openings drop 178,000 to 7.36 million in June, extending declines to a second month and hitting the lowest since March

US job openings fell to 7.36m in June, the second consecutive decline and the lowest since March, reinforcing evidence of cooling labor demand. This can ease wage-driven inflation pressure and influence expectations for Fed policy normalization. In the near term, the data may weigh on the dollar via softer rate expectations while supporting duration-sensitive assets and risk sentiment if the slowdown appears orderly.