Job cuts reduced in September. (Business briefs).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

Home Textiles Today, October, 2002

In one hopeful sign that the economy is starting to turn, job cuts in September were at their lowest level in almost two years, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an international outplacement company that tracks job cut announcements. Planned job cuts in September dropped 41 percent, to 70,057, the lowest figure in 22 months, said Challenger.

Last month's announced job-cut total was 72 percent lower than during September 2001, when employers, in the wake of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, slashed 248,332 jobs, the highest monthly number on record.