WASHINGTON — The U.S. job market stumbled a bit in January, yet data released Thursday suggests the slowdown was likely temporary.

Total hiring fell sharply that month, the Labor Department said, and the number of people quitting their jobs also dropped.

Yet businesses posted more open jobs, a sign they are still interested in bringing more workers on board, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS.

And in a separate report, the number of people seeking unemployment aid ticked up but remained at a very low level.