WASHINGTON — In a surprising turn, job openings in the United States increased in April, suggesting a robust labor market despite uncertainties from President Donald Trump’s trade policies.

The Labor Department announced on Tuesday that in April, employers advertised 7.4 million job positions, an increase from 7.2 million in March. This surpassed economists’ predictions, who anticipated a decline to 7.1 million openings.

But the number of Americans quitting their job – a sign of confidence in their prospects – fell, and layoffs ticked higher.

Although job openings remain significantly high compared to historical levels, they have experienced a sharp decline from the peak of 12.1 million in March 2022, when the economy was on a strong recovery path post-COVID-19 restrictions.

The American job market has remained strong in the face of high interest rates engineered by the Federal Reserve in 2022 and 2023 to fight a resurgence of inflation.

The economic outlook is uncertain, largely because of Trump’s economic policies – huge taxes on imports, purges of federal workers and the deportation of immigrants working in the United States illegally.

The Labor Department is expected to report Friday that employers added 130,000 jobs last month, down from 177,000 in March. The unemployment rate is expected to stay at a low 4.2%, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.