The article reports that U.S. job-cut announcements surged in January 2026, reaching their highest January level since the 2009 financial crisis, according to the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Employers announced more than 108,000 layoffs during the month, a sharp increase compared with both the previous year and the previous month. At the same time, companies announced only about 5,300 planned hires, the lowest January hiring total since the firm began tracking the data, signaling growing caution among employers about the economic outlook.
Major corporations across sectors such as transportation, technology, and finance contributed to the job cuts, suggesting the slowdown is not limited to one industry. Overall, the data indicates that the labor market may be weakening, with employers becoming less optimistic about growth in 2026 and scaling back hiring plans while reducing staff.
Citation: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/05/layoff-and-hiring-announcements-hit-their-worst-january-levels-since-2009-challenger-says.html
I also believe rising layoffs paired with record low hiring suggest companies are becoming cautious about the future and shifting into cost cutting mode.
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