October marked the lowest number of layoffs in seven months, as U.S.-based employers announced plans to cut 80,666 jobs from their payrolls, according to a report released Thursday by global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. October’s total is 32% lower than the 118,804 cuts announced in September. It is 60% higher than the 50,275 cuts in the same month last year. October’s total is the lowest since February, when 56,605 cuts were announced. So far this year, 2,162,928 job cuts have been announced, 320% higher than the 515,144 cuts announced through October last ... (full story)