U.S. employers posted 7.7 million vacancies in January, the Labor Department reported Tuesday, up from 7.5 million. The outlook for the labor market is murky as Trump wages a trade war with foreign countries, purges federal workers and threatens to deport millions of immigrants.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showed that postings rose to 7.74 million on the month, up 232,000 from December.

Labor market data released Tuesday was largely in line with Wall Street's expectations, reflecting a gradually cooling labor market. Investors have been watching closely for any further signs of cracks forming in the US economy.