Peter St Onge Podcast Ep 160 Weekly Roundup: Job Openings fall Half a Million
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Feb 16, 2026 A rapid roundup of a big half‑million drop in job openings and what normalization after COVID might mean. A look at AI risk to cubicle jobs and rising layoff signals. Investigation into why manufacturing hiring remains weak despite new factories and policy shifts. Coverage of Congress restoring UN funding and a new Florida law making gold and silver legal tender.
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Job Openings Are Normalizing, Not Booming
- Job openings fell by half a million last month and a million year-over-year, returning to pre-COVID averages around 6.5 million.
- Peter St Onge links this drop to normalization after COVID, labor-hoarding unwinding, and AI replacing cubicle roles.
Cubicle Jobs Face AI Disruption
- White-collar roles in finance, insurance, IT and professional services are shrinking faster than physical jobs.
- Peter St Onge warns these cubicle jobs are ground zero for AI replacement of entry-level tasks.
Hiring Cuts Often Precede Layoffs
- Companies cut openings first, then hires, then layoffs; quit rates remain average for now.
- Peter St Onge sees declining openings as the leading indicator that layoffs may rise next.