The Kobeissi Letter@KobeissiLetter
Tech layoffs are skyrocketing:
Tech companies announced 81,747 layoffs in Q1 2026, the highest quarterly total since at least Q1 2024.
Layoffs have more than DOUBLED from the previous quarter and have risen +580% since Q4 2025.
March alone saw 45,800 announced job cuts, the worst single month for tech layoffs in at least 2 years.
Tech layoffs are set to remain elevated with Meta's, $META, recent plans to cut ~8,000 employees.
Furthermore, Microsoft, $MSFT, is offering voluntary retirement to ~7% of its US workforce, which could transition into layoffs if participation is low.
This comes as tech giants shift spending toward AI chips and data centers, trimming staff to free up capital for infrastructure.
US tech employment is rapidly contracting.