Global firms increase job cuts amid weak sentiment and AI push

Across the globe, major companies from Amazon to Nestlé and UPS have ramped up layoffs, with a Reuters tally showing more than 25,000 job cuts announced in the U.S. this month and over 20,000 in Europe. Many of the reductions are tied to automation and artificial-intelligence deployment rather than cyclical downturns. Executives said dim consumer sentiment and elevated costs are prompting structural shifts rather than temporary adjustments. Analysts say the trend could signal deeper labour-market softening ahead.