The Job Market Froze Over This Winter

Job Market Overview - Layoff announcements increased significantly, with companies announcing 108,000 job cuts in January, the highest for any January since 2009 [3] - Job openings decreased to 6.5 million in December from 6.9 million in November, marking the lowest level since 2020 [3][8] Economic Implications - The slowdown in the job market poses a growing risk to the economy, which has remained resilient through various economic policy shocks in 2025 [5] - Economists indicate that while the layoff rate remains low, the increase in layoff announcements suggests that companies may resort to cutting headcount if other options are exhausted [6] Future Outlook - A more comprehensive job market report is expected next week, with forecasts predicting the addition of 60,000 jobs in January and a stable unemployment rate of 4.4% [7]