Layoff Pace in December Hits Lowest Level Since Mid‑2024, Challenger Says

According to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, U.S. planned job cuts in December 2025 fell sharply, reaching their lowest monthly level since July 2024. Employers announced **35,553 layoffs** for the month, marking about a **50 % decrease from November** and an **8 % drop compared with the same month last year** — indicating a significant easing in layoff activity as the year closed. This downturn in layoffs comes after a period of elevated job cut announcements throughout much of 2025, when cumulative planned layoffs reached historically high levels. Despite the December decline, the total number of layoffs announced during the full year remained well above recent norms, reflecting ongoing adjustments in corporate workforces amid economic and structural shifts. Labor analysts view this moderation as a potential sign that the worst of the workforce contractions could be behind the U.S. labor market, although broader employment trends and hiring intentions will continue to be watched closely in early 2026. #JobCuts #LayoffTrends #LaborMarket #ChallengerReport #SlimScan #GrowthStocks #CANSLIM