US, Canadian companies kick off 2024 with layoffs

Companies in the United States and Canada have kicked off 2024 with thousands of job cuts across sectors, signaling that the spate of layoffs seen in 2023 could persist as they scramble to rein in costs.

While hopes of a soft landing have grown in recent months, companies continue to be cautious as the outlook on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve remains uncertain.

Here is a snapshot of job cuts announced so far in 2024:

TECHNOLOGY

* Amazon's (AMZN.O), opens new tab job cuts include less than 5% of employees at Buy with Prime unit, 5% at audiobook and podcast division Audible, several hundred in streaming and studio operations, 35% at streaming unit Twitch and a few hundred at healthcare units One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy.

* Layoffs at Alphabet (GOOGL.O), opens new tab include dozens at the division for developing new technology X Lab, hundreds in the advertising sales team, hundreds across teams, including the hardware team responsible for Pixel, Nest and Fitbit, and a majority in the augmented reality team.

* Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab is cutting around 1,900 jobs at gaming divisions Activision Blizzard and Xbox.

* IBM (IBM.N), opens new tab plans to lay off some employees in 2024 but will hire more for AI-centered roles.

* E-commerce firm eBay (EBAY.O), opens new tab plans to cut about 1,000 roles or around 9% of its workforce.

* Videogame software provider Unity Software (U.N), opens new tab to cut about 25% of workforce, or 1,800 jobs.

* DocuSign (DOCU.O), opens new tab plans to reduce its workforce by about 6%, or 400 employees, with a majority in its sales and marketing organizations.

* Snap (SNAP.N), opens new tab plans to cut around 528 jobs or 10% of its global workforce.

* Salesforce (CRM.N), opens new tab is laying off about 700 employees, or roughly 1% of its global workforce.

* Network giant Cisco (CSCO.O), opens new tab is planning to restructure its business which will include laying off thousands of employees.

* Autonomous vehicle technology company Aurora Innovation (AUR.O), opens new tab lays off 3% of workforce.

* Canada's BlackBerry (BB.TO), opens new tab plans more layoffs, in addition to about 200 job cuts in the prior quarter.

* Satellite radio company SiriusXM (SIRI.O), opens new tab plans to reduce workforce by about 3%, or about 160 roles.

* Bumble (BMBL.O), opens new tab is set to eliminate 350 jobs or about 30% of its workforce.

MEDIA

* Walt Disney's (DIS.N), opens new tab Pixar Animation Studios is set to cut jobs as the studio has completed production on some shows.

* Comcast-owned (CMCSA.O), opens new tab British media group Sky plans to cut about 1,000 jobs across its businesses this year.

* The Los Angeles Times plans to lay off 94 journalists.

* Paramount Global (PARA.O), opens new tab is planning to conduct an unspecified number of layoffs.

* Business Insider plans to lay off around 8% of its staff.

* Bell Canada (BCE.TO), opens new tab plans to slash 4,800 jobs.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

* PayPal Holdings (PYPL.O), opens new tab is planning to cut about 2,500 jobs, or 9% of its global workforce this year.

* Payments firm Block Inc (SQ.N), opens new tab has started to cut unspecified jobs.

* Citigroup (C.N), opens new tab is planning to reduce its headcount by 20,000 people over the next two years. It has announced plans to slash 716 roles in New York towards that target.

* Investment banking giant Morgan Stanley (MS.N), opens new tab is planning to cut hundreds of jobs in its wealth management unit, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, adding that the cuts will impact less than 1% of the division's employees.

* Exchange operator Nasdaq (NDAQ.O), opens new tab plans to slash hundreds of jobs as it integrates fintech firm Adenza into its business.

* Asset manager BlackRock (BLK.N), opens new tab is set to cut about 3% of its workforce but expects a larger headcount by the end of 2024.

CONSUMER AND RETAIL

* Cosmetics giant Estee Lauder (EL.N), opens new tab plans to cut 3% to 5% of its global workforce.

* Wayfair (W.N), opens new tab plans to lay off 1,650 employees, or about 13% of its workforce.

* U.S. department store chain Macy's (M.N), opens new tab is cutting 2,350 jobs, closing five stores.

* Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI.N), opens new tab is planning to slash 10%-15% of global corporate jobs.

* Hershey's (HSY.N), opens new tab restructuring plan will impact less than 5% of its workforce.

* Nike (NKE.N), opens new tab will cut about 2% of its total workforce, or more than 1,600 jobs, as the sportswear giant looks to cut costs after flagging weaker profits this year.

HEALTH

* Novavax (NVAX.O), opens new tab is cutting about 12% of workforce.

MANUFACTURING

* Defense contractor Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab is planning to cut 1% of its jobs.

* United Parcel Service (UPS.N), opens new tab plans to cut 12,000 jobs to cut costs.

NATURAL RESOURCES

* U.S. miner Piedmont Lithium (PLL.O), opens new tab cuts 27% of workforce in the cost-cutting plan.

* Canadian oil and gas pipeline firm TC Energy (TRP.TO), opens new tab has laid off some of its workers as part of a previously announced plan to integrate its natural gas pipeline units.

* Canada-based crude pipeline operator Enbridge (ENB.TO), opens new tab said it would reduce its workforce by 650 jobs, or 5%, in a bid to cut costs.