Layoffs Slowed In August, But Were Still Far Above Year Ago

Government agencies and private employers said this month that they plan to lay off 51,114 workers, the outplacement consultants Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported this morning.

And while that's down 23 percent from the 66,414 layoffs announced in July, the August total was still "up 47 percent from a year ago," the firm said.

What's more, it added:

"Employers have now announced 363,334 planned layoffs so far this year. That is only 2.9 percent below a 2010 eight-month job-cut total of 374,121. The gap between 2010 and 2011 year-to-date job cuts has steadily fallen over the last few months. In March, year-to-date job cuts were 28 percent behind 2010. By June, the difference dropped to 17 percent. Now, less than three percent separates 2011 and 2010."

The next big news about the job market is due on Friday at 8:30 a.m. ET, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics issues figures on the August unemployment rate and the number of jobs on U.S. payrolls.

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