Google query AI

U.S. employers announced 108,435 job cuts in January 2026, marking the highest for that month since 2009, reported by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. This represents a 118% increase from the same period last year and a 205% surge from December 2025, driven largely by massive layoffs in transportation (31,243) and technology (22,291).
Key Findings on January 2026 Layoffs:
Total Layoffs: 108,435 jobs cut.
Key Sectors: Transportation was hit hardest, followed by Technology (including 16,000 from Amazon) and Healthcare.
Industry Drivers: UPS led with over 30,000 cuts, while Amazon's restructuring and contract losses contributed significantly to the tech total.
Context: These are the highest January job cuts in 17 years, signaling a weak labor market and low confidence in the 2026 economic outlook.
Hiring: Companies announced just 5,306 new hires, the lowest January total since