The Conference Board Experimental Help Wanted OnLine Index increased in January. The Index now stands at 102.0 (July 2018=100), up from 101.6 in December.

"Unlike in 2016 where there was a clear drop in online job ads during the economic slowdown, the HWOL Index rose in January despite the current financial market turmoil. This indicates a reduced likelihood of a major slowdown in the US economy," said Gad Levanon, Chief Economist, North America, at The Conference Board. "We expect employment growth in the first half of 2019 to modestly slow down, and labor turnover rates to increase as the labor market tightens. Recruiters will continue to be busy replacing workers and filling new positions."