American Express to Trim Payroll Further

American Express Co. said it will cut as many as 6,500 more jobs and take as much as $280million in charges because the aftershocks from the Sept. 11 attacks curbed corporate spending and travel.

American Express, which makes money from helping companies with travel plans and issuing charge cards, has cut about 15% of its work force since the beginning of the year, when it had about 90,000 employees. The latest round of layoffs, more than half of which are in its travel business, is in addition to 7,700 earlier job cuts.

A global slump in travel is hurting the New York-based company, which warned its fourth-quarter profit would be at the low end of forecasts. Sept. 11 air attacks on the U.S. damaged profits at airlines, cruise ship companies and American Express as people canceled vacations and business trips.

American Express shares fell 84 cents to close at $33.42 on the New York Stock Exchange.