50% of Americans expect unemployment to rise in the next six months, per Gallup. “the most worried they have been in the history of the series about the labour market.” – UBS

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Gallup: Most Americans expect inflation and unemployment to worsen as the stock market grows

The latest Gallup poll, released Monday, finds that most Americans expect inflation and unemployment to worsen this year, even as the stock market improves.

The research firm reported that 62% of adults responding to its questionnaire anticipated higher prices over the next six months. Another 50% expected unemployment to increase, 26% thought it would decrease, 9% saw it staying the same, and 15% had no opinion.

Over the same period, 50% of those surveyed predicted the stock market would grow. That’s higher than the 25% of adults who expected it to contract, the 17% who saw it holding firm, and the 8% with no opinion.

 

Companies laying off staff this year includes Amazon, Citi, and Pinterest — see the list

  • Companies such as Target, Amazon, and Citi have said they’re trimming staff this year.

  • Pinterest, for one, cited AI as a factor in its decision to shed less than 15% of its workforce.

  • See the list of companies letting workers go in 2026.

The first quarter of 2026 is halfway through, and layoffs are well underway.

Companies, including Angi (formerly Angie’s List) and the popular web tool Tailwind, have cut staff, citing the impact of artificial intelligence among the reasons for the layoffs.

Target, meanwhile, is shifting resources from its supply chain into stores as part of the new CEO’s turnaround strategy

More than 100 other companies, from Amazon to Nike to Verizon, have filed legally mandated WARN notices about job cuts to come in 2026, according to WARN Tracker. Some of the cuts are part of previously announced reductions.

This year’s cuts follow three years of significant workforce reductions across a broad range of industries, including tech, media, finance, and retail.

The moves come as artificial intelligence, public policy, and broader economic conditions are driving sweeping changes in the business landscape.

A World Economic Forum survey last year found that some 41% of companies worldwide expected to reduce their workforces in the next five years because of the rise of artificial intelligence. The survey also found that jobs in big data, fintech, and AI are expected to double by 2030.