Graphic Packaging Narrows Guidance Amid Restructuring

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[1] Graphic Packaging (NYSE: GPK) plans $60M cuts, narrows EBITDA and EPS guidance - Stock Titan (https://www.stocktitan.net/news/GPK/graphic-p ...)[2] Oracle (ORCL) Is About to Report Q2 Earnings. Options Traders Are Expecting a 10.84% Move - TipRanks (https://www.tipranks.com/news/oracle-orcl-is- ...)[3] The Zscaler Crash: Why Software Investors Need To Reassess Risk - Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculation ...)

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Dec 09 2025, 14:25

Wacker Chemie Cuts 1,500 Jobs Amid Industry Crisis

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Dec 09 2025, 14:20

U.S. Job Data Reveals Economic Crosscurrents

## Executive Summary Recent labor market reports present a fractured view of the U.S. economy, complicating the outlook for investors and policymakers. Data from **ADP** suggests a minor increase in private payrolls on a weekly basis, but this is overshadowed by a larger monthly decline and a separate, more comprehensive report from **Challenger, Gray & Christmas** indicating a significant acceleration in job cuts. This divergence highlights a choppy hiring environment where corporate caution is mounting, even as financial markets anticipate a dovish pivot from the **Federal Reserve**. ## The Event in Detail The latest data reveals deep crosscurrents within the U.S. labor market. According to **ADP**, private companies added an average of 4,750 jobs per week in the four weeks through November 22. However, this small gain stands in stark contrast to **ADP's** own month-end report, which stated the private sector lost 32,000 jobs in November. Further compounding the negative outlook, a **Challenger, Gray & Christmas** report detailed 71,321 job cuts across all industries in November, a 24% increase compared to the same month last year. This marks the eighth time this year that monthly job cuts have surpassed 2024 levels. The retail sector has been hit particularly hard, with announced job cuts for the year soaring by nearly 140% compared to the same period in 2024. The primary driver cited for these layoffs was corporate restructuring. ## Market Implications Despite the troubling layoff data, financial markets remain fixated on the **Federal Reserve's** upcoming policy decision. U.S. stock index futures edged higher as traders have priced in an 87.4% chance of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut. This optimism suggests investors are weighing the potential for monetary easing more heavily than the signs of a cooling labor market. The hospitality industry offers further evidence of a slowing economy. While Thanksgiving holiday travel demand was the second-highest on record, U.S. hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) decreased by 0.3% in the last two weeks of November. More critically, average daily rate (ADR) gains remain below the rate of inflation, continuing to pressure profit margins. Performance is also bifurcated, with **Luxury** chain hotels seeing solid demand growth while **Economy** hotels experience an 8% decline in RevPAR. ## Expert Commentary Industry analysts interpret the data as a sign of increasing corporate reticence amid economic uncertainty. The number of CEO changes has fallen for five consecutive months compared to 2024 levels, leading one expert to comment on the trend. > "This reversal over the last couple of months shows companies have likely lowered their tolerance for change," said Andy Challenger, workplace and labor expert for Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Regarding the high layoff figures, Challenger noted the historical significance: > "Job cuts in November have risen above 70,000 only twice since 2008: in 2022 and in 2008.” ## Broader Context The current labor market reflects a broader economic restructuring. For the year to date, **Artificial Intelligence (AI)** has been cited as a factor in 54,694 layoff plans. Simultaneously, regional economies are experiencing dramatic shifts. In southeast Saskatchewan, for example, the healthcare and social assistance sector saw employment drop by 38% over five months, while the construction industry grew by 20%. Notably, self-employment in that region has surged to become the largest employment category, accounting for 16.9% of all workers. This trend of a shrinking labor pool, where individuals exit the workforce entirely, combined with sectoral shifts, points to a complex and evolving economic landscape that defies simple categorization.

Dec 09 2025, 14:10

Natural Gas Futures Retreat On Mild Weather Outlook

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