Job cuts in December dropped sharply to -8.3% year-over-year, a dramatic reversal from November's +23.5% surge. The shift reveals interesting patterns across sectors: transportation led the way with the steepest climb in layoff announcements, while telecommunications actually eased off compared to the prior period. These swings matter for market watchers—when labor markets cool or heat up this suddenly, it ripples through asset prices and risk appetite. The divergence between sectors suggests selective weakness rather than across-the-board pain, which could mean different implications for inflation, Fed policy, and ultimately your portfolio.