Job cuts announced by U.S.-based employers surged in March to 60,357, a 71 percent increase from the 35,369 cuts announced in February. Last month's total is the highest monthly total since April 2016, when 64,141 job cuts were announced. Through the first quarter of this year, employers have announced 140,379 cuts, 11 percent more than the 126,201 job cut announcements in the first quarter of 2017 and 44 percent higher than the 97,292 cuts announced in the final quarter of last year. First quarter job cut plans are the highest since Q1 2016, when 180,920 cuts were announced. The report on April job cuts will be released by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. on Thursday, May 3, at 7:30 a.m. ET.

April CEO Report Due Wednesday, May 9
Although the 96 Chief Executive Officers who left their posts at U.S.-based companies in March was a 15 percent drop from the 113 CEO exits in February, this is the highest quarterly total since the third quarter of 2014, when 348 CEO changes were recorded. The first quarter of this year saw 341 CEO changes, up 16 percent from the 294 CEO changes tracked in the final quarter of last year. This year's total was up 13 percent from the 301 CEO exits in the first quarter of 2017. The Challenger report on April CEO turnover will be released Wednesday, May 9, at 10:00 a.m. ET.

CONTACTS        
Colleen Madden Blumenfeld,
Director of Public Relations
Office: 312-422-5074
Mobile: 314-807-1568
colleenmadden@challengergray.com
 
Blake Palder, Public RelationsAssociate
Office: 312-422-5156
blakepalder@challengergray.com