Jobs up pay static

Permanent placements rose at fastest rate in ten months. Strongest increase in temp billings since May 2007.  Inflation of wages and salaries remained subdued. Improvement in candidate availability recorded.

Commenting on the latest survey results, Bernard Brown, Partner and Head of Business Services at KPMG said: “The encouraging trend which started in January continued last month with permanent placements rising at their fastest rate in 10 months and temp billings showing their strongest increase since May 2007. Employers in the IT & Computing and Engineering & Construction sectors are again those most actively recruiting. This might be an indication that a private sector led recovery is indeed under way.

“What the Government needs to do now is to support growth. It needs to encourage private sector investment into the provision of public services to mitigate the cuts and job losses we are expecting across the public sector. It also should continue to help and promote British exports in order to enable UK manufacturers to expand globally which many of them will need to do in order to survive.” February data signalled strong and accelerated rises in both permanent staff placements and temporary/contract staff billings. The former increased at the sharpest rate in ten months, while the latter posted the greatest rise since May 2007.