A lot of people are getting laid off

Plus: Southwest wins airline of the year in a new data-based poll

Author

Matt Davis
January 30, 2026

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Companies mentioned in today’s newsletter

A lot of people are getting laid off this January

Well, laid-off. I mean, it’s a bit different. You get severance and unemployment!

Layoffs are sweeping the corporate world faster than a viral cat video, with big names like Amazon $AMZN ( ▼ 1.01% ) , UPS $UPS ( ▲ 0.22% ) , and HP $HPE ( ▼ 2.23% ) at the forefront of the “who's next?" game. Amazon just gave 16,000 corporate workers a one-way ticket out as part of their plan to “remove bureaucracy” and give those people’s jobs to computers. CEO Andy Jassy hinted at the company's AI obsession, saying, “Generative AI will reduce the workforce.” Translation: robots don’t take sick days. UPS wasn't far behind, cutting up to 30,000 jobs. But don’t worry, these are voluntary redundancies! They even cited fewer Amazon shipments — so, blame Jeff Bezos... twice? Meanwhile, HP plans to trim 6,000 jobs as part of their own AI "streamlining." Economists describe it as a “no-hire, no-fire” labor market. Tell that to Tyson Foods $TSN ( ▲ 0.17% ) , who cut jobs for nearly a third of a small Nebraska town called Lexington, starting January 20. If you still have a job, hug it tight, my friends. Hug it tight.

Intel matches Trump accounts for employee children

Intel $INTC ( ▼ 4.5% ) is playing superhero for America’s kids — and their wallets. On Tuesday, Intel announced it will match the U.S. government’s $1,000 payout per child for its eligible U.S. employees through the 530A program, often dubbed “Trump Accounts.” This comes after the government became Intel’s largest shareholder in 2025 with an $8.9 billion, 10% stake in the chipmaking giant. The company’s stock has risen 75% since then to around $45 per share.

The 530A program, part of the Trump administration’s "big, beautiful bill," aims to give children a financial boost and jumpstart wealth-building opportunities. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan summed up the initiative's potential: “America’s future technologists will define the next era of innovation, and the Trump Accounts program helps give them an early financial foundation.”

Intel isn’t the only company hopping aboard the Trump Accounts train — big players like BlackRock $BLK ( ▼ 0.78% ) , SoFi $SOFI ( ▼ 6.36% ) , and Charles Schwab $SCHW ( ▲ 0.44% ) have also pledged to match federal contributions. Parents can open tax-advantaged accounts starting in July, and employer matches up to $2,500 won’t count as taxable income.

Even billionaire Dell founder Michael Dell joined the effort in December, committing $6.25 billion to seed pre-2025 kids’ accounts with an extra $250.

A $2,000 contribution is likely to equal around $11,000 in 18 years time, or about one fifth the cost of Harvard tuition for a year.

Trump comments trigger sharp dollar sell-off

Tuesday wasn’t a great day for the U.S. dollar — it fell faster than my New Year’s resolutions, in fact. The ICE U.S. Dollar Index recorded its worst one-day drop since April 2025, plunging as much as 1.5%. All of this came after President Donald Trump, speaking in Iowa, reassured reporters that he wasn’t concerned about the dollar’s already downward spiral following his aggressive stance towards Greenland, threatening NATO allies with tariffs if they failed to support his moves to annex the country in clear violation of international law and established norms.

 “I think it’s great,” Trump said. “The dollar’s doing great.”

For context, the ICE U.S. Dollar Index measures the dollar’s strength against foreign heavyweights like the euro, British pound, and Japanese yen. A drop in this index indicates a weaker dollar, which creates real-world ripples. “It becomes more expensive for Americans to travel abroad,” Morgan Stanley analysts noted, and rising import prices could add inflationary pressure. But it’s not all terrible news. As Morgan Stanley added, “The weaker dollar could be a boost for American exporters.”

Trump, as always, was candid about his economic philosophy, saying he wanted the currency to “just seek its own level, which is the fair thing to do.” He even quipped, “I could have it go up or go down like a yo-yo.” Which it subsequently did. Mainly going down, though, and not so much “yo’ing” back up. You can the point where Mr. Trump made his comments right there on the 27th, before the steep fall:

Things have recovered slightly since Tuesday, but not entirely.

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Ducati celebrates its 100th anniversary

As the iconic Ducati brand marks its 100th anniversary, it’s balancing a century of racing heritage with an eye toward an evolving future.

"This is an incredible opportunity for us to tell the story of Ducati," said Jason Chinick, CEO of Ducati North America. He emphasized the brand’s core values: "Technology. Innovation. Style. Sophistication. Performance."

I tend to say those things when I walk into a dinner party, myself. Just to announce that I’m there, you know?

Often called "the Ferrari of motorcycles" due to being "red, fast, and Italian," Chinick highlights that Ducati has always been an accessible and approachable brand. Its continuous racing-driven refinement aims to make the motorcycles "easy to ride," resulting in a rider who is "more confident, faster, and more in control." Racing remains "an absolute anchor in our brand identity," said Chinick. That’s me up top there, pictured riding my Ducati out to get some milk.

The brand is also expanding, notably into U.S. off-road racing, a strategic move to "expand and expose our brand to a completely new audience" where most American motorcyclists begin their journey. The focus, Chinick notes, is on "entertainment for people" and bringing "joy to our life," not just mobility.

Looking ahead, Ducati is investing in the Moto E project to understand the future of electrification. While acknowledging that the technology is "still in development" and currently market-driven towards urban mobility, the brand plans to "be at the forefront" to harness future opportunities appropriate for the Ducati experience.

❝

Personally, I always look at it before I check a bag. I like to see how the airline does on bag handling and think, you know, ‘maybe could I take a smaller bag?’

The best and worst airlines of 2025


The Wall Street Journal's 18th annual airline scorecard has revealed a shake-up in domestic air travel for 2025. In a surprise to many, Southwest Airlines $LUV ( ▼ 2.02% ) emerged as the top performer, unseating perennial winner Delta $DAL ( ▼ 0.98% ) , which slipped to third place behind (checks notes) Allegiant $ALGT ( ▼ 3.07% ) . (“Who are they?,” you might ask).

Allison Pooley, a reporter at the Wall Street Journal, noted the findings are "all data-based" on seven operational metrics, including on-time performance, bags lost, and involuntary bumping. She said: "Southwest was the winner, the clear winner by far." Allegiant secured second place largely due to its focus on nonstop flights, which minimize lost luggage. The airline also has a policy against overbooking.

On the opposite end of the ranking, American Airlines $AAL ( ▼ 1.55% ) experienced significant challenges. Pooley highlighted that "American really fared the worst in terms of cancelations...it canceled 2.2%" of its flights — the only major airline to exceed 2%. This performance, coupled with slow recovery from weather disruptions, has had "cascading effects throughout the operation."

For consumers, the scorecard is a vital tool for informed travel decisions, especially when weighing reliability against price. Pooley advised looking at key metrics: "Personally, I always look at it before I check a bag. I like to see how the airline does on bag handling and think, you know, ‘maybe could I take a smaller bag?’"

With major industry changes on the horizon — including the Alaska/Hawaiian $ALK ( ▼ 4.63% ) merger and Spirit’s $SAVEQ ( ▲ 0.43% ) bankruptcy — tracking these operational reports might help you guarantee a smoother trip.

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