UK Jobs Market Slows in April Amid Iran War Uncertainty, Survey Shows
April Jobs Market Overview and Survey Findings
LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) - Britain's jobs market lost momentum in April after recruiters turned more cautious about hiring as the Iran war heightened cost pressures, an industry survey showed on Monday.
The monthly Report on Jobs from accountants KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, a trade body, showed permanent job placements fell at the fastest pace since January, before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began. Employers said in March that the jobs downturn had shown signs of abating.
Impact of Iran Conflict on UK Employment
"The small signs of recovery in the jobs market may have been disrupted in April by the uncertainty stemming from the conflict in Iran," said Jon Holt, KPMG's group chief executive.
Key Survey Highlights
REC and KPMG also said:
Permanent and Temporary Staff Trends
• Permanent staff placements fell to 47.5 in April, down from 49.2 in March
• Temporary staff hiring rose to 50.4 from 48.4 as firms opted for short-term staff due to uncertainty about the Iran war
Candidate Availability and Vacancy Trends
• The availability of candidates for permanent roles rose slightly faster than that of those seeking temporary roles
• Vacancies fell for the 30th month in a row, but at the slowest pace in 11 months
Survey Methodology
• The survey was based on responses from a panel of around 400 recruitment agencies between April 9 and April 24
Separate BDO Survey: Employment Index at 15-Year Low
A separate survey from accountants BDO showed firms were cautious about hiring, with an employment index, which reflects trends in hiring intentions and demand, falling to its lowest level in 15 years.
(Reporting by Suban Abdulla; editing by David Milliken)
