Layoff News 2025: From Retail Giants To Tech Titans — Nearly 49,000 Job Cuts Across Different Sectors

Layoff News: US companies across sectors have initiated layoffs as they attempt to streamline operations amid economic uncertainties, following similar cutbacks seen last year, according to Reuters.

In recent months, several major companies across various sectors have announced significant layoffs and job cuts, affecting thousands of employees globally.

Overall, confirmed job cuts across sectors totaled nearly 48,800, reflecting a cautious corporate outlook amid shifting market conditions.

Consumer And Retail Sector

In the consumer and retail sector, companies like Starbucks have laid off around 1,100 employees, which is about 0.52% of their workforce. Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s, announced layoffs of 648 employees, representing 12% of its workforce.

Kohl’s has cut around 9,600 jobs, which is 10% of its total staff, and Estee Lauder is letting go of 7,000 employees, roughly 11.29% of its workforce. Amazon also laid off 1,700 full-time employees, though the percentage is not specified.

Walmart is reducing its headcount by 1,500, and Wayfair is laying off 730 employees in Germany. Procter & Gamble is cutting 7,000 jobs, which is about 6% of its workforce.

In the aviation and space sector, Southwest Airlines announced it would cut 1,750 corporate jobs, which makes up about 15% of those roles. Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, is reducing its workforce by 1,400, or 10%.

Energy And Natural Resources Sector

The energy and natural resources sector has also been impacted. Chevron is laying off 8,000 workers, a significant 20% of its staff.

Halliburton, LyondellBasell, and SolarEdge Technologies are each cutting around 290 to 400 jobs, although the percentage of total workforce is unknown.

Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) plans to cut up to 700 employees, which is 1.7% of its total.

Dow Chemicals is letting go of 1,500 workers (4.17%), while APA Corporation is laying off around 300 employees.

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Technology And Media Sector

In the technology and media sector, Meta Platforms has decided to let go of 5% of its lowest-performing staff, although the total number isn’t disclosed. Microchip Technology announced 2,000 job cuts, or 9% of its workforce.

CrowdStrike is cutting 500 positions (5%), and Intel is reportedly reducing its workforce by around 20%, though specific numbers are not confirmed.

Match Group, which owns dating apps like Tinder, is letting go of 13% of its staff.

Chegg, an online education company, is laying off 248 employees, which is about 22% of its workforce.

Healthcare Sector

In healthcare and pharmaceuticals, UnitedHealth and Bio Rad have also reported layoffs, with Bio Rad reducing its staff by 5%, though exact figures for UnitedHealth remain unknown.

Finally, in banking and finance, Morgan Stanley is laying off around 2,000 employees, which makes up 2% to 3% of its workforce.

US Job Openings Rise, But Layoffs Also Spike

Job openings in the US increased by 191,000 to reach 7.39 million by the end of April, according to the Labor Department. However, layoffs also saw their biggest jump in nine months, suggesting that the labor market is starting to slow down.

Analysts told Reuters, uncertainty around trade policies under the Trump Administration may be weighing on business confidence and hiring plans.