US workers worry about recession and layoffs

Five charts to start your day

Employee confidence just took a serious tumble in February, dropping to the lowest level seen in nearly a decade. Latest figures show only 44.4 percent of staff now hold a positive six-month business outlook, according to Glassdoor. That is the lowest reading since the site launched its Employee Confidence Index in 2016, and it suggests more people are wary about what lies ahead.

Meanwhile, talk of layoffs is creeping up. Take a look at the chart below. Mentions of job cuts in Glassdoor reviews rose 0.3 percent month-on-month, which is 5 percent higher than this time last year. That spike parallels wider market fears of a potential recession, with investors on edge since President Trump warned of a “period of transition.”