Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics
Global| Mar 08 2012

Challenger Indicates A Slight Decline in Job Cuts

Summary

The outplacement firm of Challenger, Grey & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during February slipped to 51,728 and remained near the earlier low. During the last ten years there has been a 67% correlation between the [...]


The outplacement firm of Challenger, Grey & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during February slipped to 51,728 and remained near the earlier low. During the last ten years there has been a 67% correlation between the three-month moving average of announced job cuts and the three-month change in payroll employment. Job cut announcements differ from layoffs. Many are achieved through attrition, early retirement or just never occur. Challenger also samples firms' hiring plans and they increased modestly m/m to 10,720.

The Challenger figures are available in Haver's SURVEYS database.

Challenger, Gray & Christmas Feb Jan Dec Y/Y% 2011 2010 2009
Announced Job Cuts 51,728 53,486 41,785 2.0 606,082 529,973 1,288,030
Announced Hiring Plans 10,720 7,568 14,074 -85.2 537,572 402,638 272,573
  • Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio.   Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984.   He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C.   In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists.   Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.

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