November has been brutal for the job market, with layoffs hitting a multitude of companies across numerous sectors and in dozens of states.
In October alone, the economy lost 240,000 jobs, raising the unemployment rate to 6.5 percent.
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"Job losses are now likely to run around 150k to 200k per month, with a few whopping declines now and then," Tony Crescenzi, chief bond market strategist for Miller Tabak & Co. LLC wrote in a research note Thursday. Friday's employment report will show job losses of at least 200,000, and could go as high as 250,000.
The private sector registered a larger than expected loss of 157,000 jobs last month, according to a report released Wednesday by payroll giant Automatic Data Processing and consultancy Macroeconomic Advisers.
The bad news comes after planned layoffs surged to their highest in nearly five years during October, with cuts in the financial and auto sectors leading the charge, according to a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Job cuts announced in October totaled 112,884, up 19 percent from September, the report said, citing evidence of widespread economic malaise as troubles that began in housing and banking infect the rest of the economy.
ADP also said it revised the number of jobs lost in September to 26,000 from the originally reported loss of 8,000.
Here's a rundown of some of the recently announced job cuts: (source: Reuters, with CNBC staff):
- Fidelity Investments will start laying off about 2.9 percent of its global workforce later this month—affecting 1,288 workers in the first round from a workforce of 44,4000—and plans to trim more workers early next year.
- Toy maker Mattel Inc. says it is cutting some 1,000 positions worldwide in response to the ongoing economic downturn. The El Segundo-based company says the positions amount to 3 percent of the company's worldwide workforce and will reduce its professional and management staff by 8 percent. Cuts will come from a combination of layoffs, attrition and retirements, the company said.
- Goldman Sachs notified roughly 3,200 employees this week that they have been laid off, part of previously reported plans to slash 10 percent of the firm's global work force. The move comes after laying off hundreds of support staff and junior bankers in June. The company had a record 32,569 employees in August and the latest cuts reduce headcount to the lowest since 2006.
- At Merrill Lynch, 10,000 employees could be jettisoned as a result of the merger with Bank of America.
- Bank of America, the second-largest U.S. bank by assets said in June it expected to eliminate about 7,500 jobs over the next two years after the completion of its acquisition of Countrywide Financial Corp, the largest U.S. mortgage lender.
- Barclay's plans to cut about 3,000 jobs as it brings Lehman Brothers into its fold. Lehman, which filed for bankruptcy last month, had 26,000 employees. About 10,000 have been given jobs until at least the end of the year.
- The lack of merger and acquisitions and initial public offerings is hitting Morgan Stanley hard. The U.S. investment bank said on July 31 it was finished cutting jobs, having slashed 4,800 jobs in the past year but some analysts expect Morgan could lay off 15 percent of its work force.
- Even the more stable JPMorgan Chase is looking at cutting at least 10 percent and maybe 15 percent of its workforce. It has over 180,000 employees globally, including 25,000 in investment banking.
- Citigroup cut 11,000 jobs during their third quarter, which brought the total number of jobs cuts in 2008 to 23,000. Citigroup also is drawing up lists of employees in a division including investment banking who will be let go in another round of layoffs, people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The layoffs are part of Citigroup's previously announced plans to reduce headcount by about 9,100 across the company by next October.
Wachovia, said in August it would cut 6,950 jobs, 600 more than it had previously disclosed.
UBS said at the beginning of October it would cut another 2,000 jobs at its troubled investment bank. The job losses come on top of 7,000 jobs already cut, about 4,100 of which were in investment banking positions cut in the past year. The bank will have reduced its headcount by more than 10 percent to under 80,000.
- Credit Suisse has axed more than 1,500 jobs, the majority in investment banking in the last year since 2007, and on Tuesday it said it would cut 500 more jobs.
- HSBC said late last month it was cutting 1,100 jobs in its investment banking operation, or 4 percent of the workforce.
Commerzbank announced its plan to cut 9,000 jobs in the wake of its agreement to purchase Dresdner Bank from Allianz . About 2,500 jobs of the 9,000 cuts will be outside Germany.
UniCredit, Europe's fourth-largest bank said in June it would shed 9,000 posts out of 100,000 in Germany, Austria and its domestic base Italy.
First American, the largest U.S. title insurer, by reported revenue said last month it cut 1,250 jobs in the third quarter, bringing the total for the year to about 2,950, or 8 percent of its workforce. It has cut roughly 6,500 jobs since the first quarter of 2007.
- National City Corp said last week it planned to reduce 4,000 jobs, or 14 percent of its workforce, over three years to save $500 million to $600 million annually by 2011.
- Computer maker Dell, which is nearing the end of nearly 9,000 job cuts, has asked employees to consider taking up to five days of unpaid vacation, is offering voluntary severance packages and has instituted a global hiring freeze.
- Nissan announced layoffs affecting 2,500 salaried jobs overseas and 1,000 temporary posts in Japan amid plans to cut vehicle productions globally.
- Privately held Chrysler said it was cutting about 5,000 salaried employees. Earlier in the week, it said was slashing 1,825 jobs as the result of plant closings.
- Money manager Janus Capital said it would cut 9 percent of its staff a day after rival AllianceBernstein said it would make unprecedented job cuts.
- Xerox announced job cuts of 5 percent, or 3,000 positions, due to a "tough business environment."
- Mining equipment maker Terex said it would lay off hundreds of workers and suspend its share buyback program to preserve cash.
- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide said it plans to cut an unspecified number of jobs to offset slowing travel demand.
- Computer systems vendor Agilysys cut three senior management positions and is consolidating headquarters in Ohio.
- Merck announced plans on Wednesday to cut 12 percent of its workforce, citing a need to change its business model in order to survive.
- Fidelity National Financial , which controls one of the largest U.S. title insurers, announced 1,000 job cuts, office closings, a 10 percent pay cut and a 50 percent dividend cut, which comes on top of 1,600 job eliminations in the April-to-June period.
- Biotechnology company Maxygen plans to cut nearly 30 percent of its workforce and explore strategic options due to the current financial environment
- Popular Inc. , parent of Banco Popular, is cutting 600 positions and more than a quarter of its branches in the United States.
- General Motors , which previously said it would reduce salaried employment costs by 20 percent, reportedly plans more layoffs than expected in its salaried and contract workforce. GM also said it is reducing some employee benefits, including 401 k contributions and other programs.
Correction: And earlier version of this article said United Parcel Service sees layoffs in 2009 as customers need less shipping due to cutbacks on holiday gift purchases. The company said they are not projecting layoffs.