Retail worker quits are on the rise again even as workers in other industries increasingly try to hold onto their jobs

• US workers are quitting their jobs less frequently than last year, but retail quits are trending up.
• The increase is surprising in part because major retailers are spending big money to keep workers.
• More quits are likely to further escalate a "labor hoarding" war among brands like Walmart, Home Depot, and Kroger.

Quitting — sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly — peaked as a trend a little over a year ago and has been slowly dialing down as talk of an economic downturn dialed up.