Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics
Global| Oct 06 2016

Challenger Survey Layoff Announcements Increase

Summary

The outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during September rose to 44,324 (-24.7% y/y) and made up most of the August decline to 32,188. Layoffs rose in the aerospace/defense, chemical, [...]


The outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during September rose to 44,324 (-24.7% y/y) and made up most of the August decline to 32,188. Layoffs rose in the aerospace/defense, chemical, commodities, education, electronics, financial, government/nonprofit, media, retail, telecommunications and utility industries. Layoffs fell in the apparel, automotive, computer, construction, consumer products, energy, entertainment/leisure, food, health care, industrial goods, insurance, pharmaceutical, services and transportation 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 jumped to 487,075 last month (-1.1% y/y) following a 9,101 rise in August. It rose in the computer, energy, entertainment/leisure, retail (where it surges every September),  telecommunications and transportation (also where it often jumps in September) industries. Hiring fell in the aerospace/defense, apparel, automotive, construction, financial, food, health care, industrial goods, insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

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

Challenger, Gray & Christmas

Sep Aug Jul Sep Y/Y % 2015 2014 2013

Announced Job Cuts

44,324 32,188 45,346 -24.7 598,510 483,171 509,051

Announced Hiring Plans

487,075 9,101 16,051 -1.1 690,751 821,506 764,206
  • 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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