Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics
Global| Sep 03 2015

Challenger Job Cut Announcements Pull Back

Summary

The outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during August declined sharply to 41,186 (+2.9% y/y) and more-than-reversed July's unrevised surge to 105,496. Layoffs pulled back in the [...]


The outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during August declined sharply to 41,186 (+2.9% y/y) and more-than-reversed July's unrevised surge to 105,496. Layoffs pulled back in the aerospace/defense, chemical, computer, construction, electronics, energy, financial, government, media and transportation industries. Layoffs increased in the automotive, consumer products, education, entertainment/leisure, food, health care, industrial goods, insurance, pharmaceutical, retail, services and telecommunications industries.

During the last ten years there has been a 68% correlation between the level of job cut announcements and the m/m change in payroll employment.

Challenger also samples firms' hiring plans. Hiring edged higher last month to 11,778 (22.0% y/y) versus 11,637 in July. Increased job creation occurred in the aerospace/defense, automotive, education, electronics, financial, industrial goods, insurance, pharmaceutical, telecommunications and transportation industries. Reduced hiring plans were realized in the apparel, chemical, computer, construction, consumer products, food, health care, retail and services industries.

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

Challenger, Gray & Christmas

Aug Jul Jun Y/Y % 2014 2013 2012

Announced Job Cuts

41,186 105,696 44,842 2.9 483,171 509,051 523,362

Announced Hiring Plans

11,778 11,637 11,176 22.0 821,506 764,206 630,447
  • 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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