There are signs of improvement in the jobs market, with June’s fall in permanent job appointments the weakest for 13 months, according to the latest REC/KPMG survey.
The number of permanent job vacancies saw its weakest decline in nine months, while the drop in temporary vacancies was at its lowest in eight months.
Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC, says: ‘I will be surprised if we don’t get a positive number next month.
Mike Stevens, head of business services at KMPG says: “Although the rate of decline for permanent and temporary placements continues to slow, it is probably too early to talk about a recovery in the UK jobs market.
The survey found that despite rising unemployment some skills were still in demand. These included chefs, personal assistants, auditors, and some types of software engineers.
Meanwhile, after figures from Office of National Statistics showed manufacturing output declined by 0.5% in May, the National Institute for Economic Research and Development estimates the economy contracted by 0.4% in the second quarter.