Lame job market may get lamer

If you liked the December jobs report -- 148,000 jobs expected, 1,000 actually created! -- you'll love a new estimated tally of planned job reductions by U.S. corporations. Announcements of planned layoffs surged 26 percent last month to 117,556, the highest since October, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Outsourcing jobs overseas and increased merger and acquisition activity could boost job cuts this year even as the economy improves, the firm says.