Amazon to axe 18,000 workers as more US tech firms cut jobs

Amazon boss blames economic uncertainty and recent rapid hiring while Salesforce cuts 8,000 roles, almost 1 in 10 staff

The jobs purge sweeping US tech firms has escalated as Amazon expanded staff-cutting plans to affect more than 18,000 workers and the software maker Salesforce said it would axe 8,000 employees.

Amazon's reductions are the biggest by a big tech firm over the past year and the largest set of layoffs in the company's history. The online retailer's chief executive cited the uncertain economy" for the move and said Amazon had hired rapidly over the last several years".