Troubling signs

Nearly 60,000 layoffs rattle ailing U.S. economy, with warnings of more to come

THE HOME DEPOT -- 7,000 jobs -- The nation's biggest home-improvement retailer will close Expo Design Centers (two of them in Columbia and Bethesda),, Yardbirds, Design Centers and HD Bath, a bath-remodeling business, with the next two months. Combined, the four operate about four dozen locations.

CAT -- 20,000 jobs -- Caterpillar, the worlds largest manufacturer of mining and construction machinery, reported a 32 percent decline in fourth-quarter profits. The cuts, many already made, include 5,000 white-colar positions.

SPRINT -- 8,000 JOBS -- Sprint Nextel Corp. hounded by persistent subscriber losses and questions about long-term prospects, announced the cuts as it seeks to reduce annual costs by $1.2 billion.

GM -- 2,000 jobs -- General Motors is planning to cut positions at two plants (in Ohio and Michigan) and will cut back on production at 13 other plants in the U.S. and Canada.

PFIZER -- 19,000 jobs -- Pfizer, which is buying competitor Wyeth, is planning to cut back on its combined work force by 15 percent it's also planning to close five factories.