Drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb became the latest big company to announce layoffs, saying it will eliminate another 10 percent of its work force through 2010.

This week brought a slew of layoffs, including Dow component Bank of America, which said its planned job cuts may grow to 35,000 over three years after it completes its purchase of Merrill Lynch.

Sony became one of the latest companies to announce layoffs in attempt to rein in costs and weather the weak economy.

Further layoffs on Monday from big market names, including a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average an American business icon, added to employment gloom.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

The latest job cuts  in the banking sector come amid an overall wave of layoffs across the United States as companies move to cut costs in the face of slackening demand and a general economic downturn.

Markets are braced for more hemorrhaging in jobs, with a Friday employment report expected to record 200,00 more jobs vaporized in October. This would push the jobless rate up two-tenths of a point to 6.3 percent.

European earnings were mixed Thursday, with telecoms reporting results in line or above forecasts, while energy companies and financials posted profit declines or figures below market expectations.