Reports of 9,000 staff cut Microsoft's recent trend of wide-scale workforce reduction continues, with reports that Redmond is preparing to slash an additional 4 percent of its employees – or around 9,

The reductions followed cuts of about 6,000 positions last quarter, and were indicative of a tightening job market at big technology companies.

Microsoft surpassed expectations on revenue and profit but is slimming down across ranks, organizations and geographies.