Last month was the worst January for layoff plans since 2009: Challenger

Group 1 - Layoff announcements in January reached 108,435, more than double the 49,795 cuts announced in January of the previous year, marking the highest January total since 2009 [6][2] - Companies' hiring plans were recorded at 5,306 in January, the lowest for the month since Challenger began tracking in 2009 [5] - The high number of layoffs indicates that employers are less optimistic about the economic outlook for 2026, with many plans set at the end of 2025 [3] Group 2 - The total number of job cuts for all of 2025 was logged at 1.2 million, despite a slowdown in December to the lowest monthly total since July 2024 [7] - Major companies like Amazon, UPS, and Pinterest have announced significant job cuts, citing the need to invest in artificial intelligence and adjust business plans amid uncertainty [2][6] - The government's layoff rate remains low by historical standards, but the hiring rate has also been described as meager [8]