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Data from FMP. Forecasts by Sigmanomics Forecast Engine.
United StatesUS Challenger Job Cuts climbed to 97.01K in May 2026
FMPMonthlyReleased June 2026
US Challenger Job Cuts climbed to 97.01K in May 2026, released June 2026, up 13.62K from April's 83.39K reading. The print exceeded the 90K consensus by 7.01K. The print is running well above the 12-month average of 68.54K. Over the past 3 months, Challenger Job Cuts averaged 75.8K, vs 56.96K in the prior 3-month window. The reading is in the 81st percentile of the trailing 24-month range.
Latest Release
97.006
Actual
90
Consensus
83.387
Previous
Median Absolute Error
±31.85 thousand
across last 12 releases
Last Call
Jun 2026
Predicted: 75.31
Actual: 97.01
Error: -21.7
Sigmacast Σ-direction model: consensus + ½ × mean(surprise, trailing 90d).
CORRELATED SYMBOLS— markets that historically move with this indicator
| Symbol | Direction | Correlation | Asset Class | Signal Bias | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | ▲ Direct | +0.72 | STOCKS | Bullish AAPL | → View |
| AUD/USD | ▼ Inverse | −0.65 | FOREX | Bearish AUD | → View |
| BTC/USD | ▼ Inverse | −0.62 | CRYPTO | Bearish BTC | → View |
| GBP/USD | ▼ Inverse | −0.60 | FOREX | Bearish GBP | → View |
| NZD/USD | ▼ Inverse | −0.55 | FOREX | Bearish NZD | → View |
Correlation based on 12-month rolling window. Click any symbol to view its Sigmanomics forecast page.
THE RELEASE
Challenger Job Cuts (United States) was reported at 97 thousand in June 2026. This beat the market consensus of 90 thousand by 7 thousand. The reading rose from the previous value of 83 thousand. Trailing 12-month context per ETL data through June 2026. Over the past 12 months, the indicator has averaged 69 thousand, ranging from 36 thousand to 108 thousand across 9 releases.
WHY IT MATTERS
The indicator has been trending upward over the last three releases. The trailing three releases averaged 69 thousand, down from the prior three at 72 thousand. Volatility over the past year (σ 22 thousand) is lower than the prior year (σ 67 thousand). In June readings over the past 3 years, Challenger Job Cuts has averaged 85 thousand.
THE MODEL'S TAKE
Historically, this indicator is positively correlated with AAPL (Bullish AAPL). A secondary relationship exists with AUD/USD, negatively correlated (Bearish AUD). Over the last 12 releases, the Sigmacast model's median absolute error is 32 thousand.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
The next release is scheduled for July 1, 2026. Same-country events in the next 14 days include NY Empire State Manufacturing Index (Jun 15) and Industrial Production MoM (Jun 15).
Auto-generated from current model state · Refreshes on each release · Last update June 2026.
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Challenger Job Cuts - US
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About Challenger Job Cuts — United States
DEFINITION
Challenger Job Cuts is a widely recognized financial indicator that measures the number of announced job cuts by companies in the United States. This indicator provides valuable insight into the state of the job market and overall economic conditions, as well as potential trends in hiring and layoffs. It is closely monitored by investors, economists, and policymakers as a key indicator of the health of the labor market and the economy as a whole.
WHY THIS INDICATOR MATTERS
Labor-market data shapes consumer-spending forecasts and is closely tracked by central banks assessing the output gap and wage-inflation pass-through. The release is more useful as part of a longer-run signal than as a single-print catalyst. Released monthly.
WHAT CHANGED THIS MONTH
Latest reading (May 2026): actual 97.01 K, consensus 90 K. Prior reading (Apr 2026): 83.39 K. Before that (Apr 2026): 83.39 K.
WHAT'S NEXT
Sigmacast's 1-month forecast points to a higher reading versus the latest print, with the 3-month outlook reinforcing that direction. Both horizons are aligned bullish for this indicator, suggesting a consistent trend signal. Trend-driven dynamics are the primary tailwind in the current projection. This indicator correlates most strongly with AAPL (Bullish AAPL, r=0.72) — a useful reference for stocks-focused traders.