US Layoffs Drop to Two-Year Low of 42,017 in July as Tech and Finance Cuts Ease

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 7, 2026

U.S. layoffs fell to 42,017 in July, the lowest monthly total in two years, per Challenger, Gray & Christmas data. Major restructuring cycles in tech, finance, and retail have largely run their course, narrowing the gap between job cuts and new hires. Manufacturing remained the leading sector for reductions, but the broader trend points to cooling cost-cutting and improving labor market stability — a positive signal for placement volume across staffing firms.