12-14-2005, 02:35 AM
Link
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Strong job growth in India, US; weak outlook for Europe</b>
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Prospects for job growth in early 2006 are <b>strong in India, New Zealand, Taiwan, United States and Australia</b>, but weak in most of Europe, a global survey showed.
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey showed hiring expectations for <b>Sweden and France in the first quarter of 2006 were the weakest since the survey began in these countries in the third quarter of 2003</b>.
The survey by the employment consulting and recruitment group showed 19 of 23 countries surveyed reported positive hiring outlooks for the quarter ahead. But 11 of 23 were weaker compared to last year at this time and most of the lower outlooks are from European employers.
Manpower, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, said its quarterly report is "the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world," based on data from more than 45,000 employers worldwide.
"First-quarter hiring across the European labor markets we survey is typically soft, but this year it appears more pervasive, with only UK employers looking to accelerate hiring from the fourth quarter," said Jeffrey Joerres, chairman and chief executive of Manpower Inc.
"A number of labor markets in this region are currently experiencing challenging political, social and economic conditions and this is clearly having an impact on businesses' willingness and/or ability to add to their work forces. For now, at least, companies are going to continue to be cautious."
<b>Among the 12 countries surveyed in Europe, employment prospects were strongest in Britain, Ireland, Norway, Belgium and Spain.</b>
But hiring in Asia Pacific remains strong, according to the survey.
Positive outlooks come from companies in India, New Zealand, Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, China and Japan.
<b>"Hiring expectations in India continue to be strongest in the finance/insurance/real estate and services industry sectors," said Joerres.</b>
"However, Indian employers are decidedly more uncertain about hiring as the data shows a 14 percent increase from fourth quarter in the number employers who don't know whether they'll add employees during the next three months."
Japanese employers reported their strongest first quarter outlook since the survey began, he added.
In the Americas, slightly slower hiring is expected in six of 10 US industry sectors in the first quarter, but the overall outlook for the US is strong, Manpower said. Canadian employers also expect a healthy hiring pace but just slightly below the rate reported in the previous year.
"Seasonally adjusted data indicates that US job seekers can expect the same solid hiring pace that employers exhibited throughout 2005," said Joerres.
"Employers are most upbeat about hiring in the construction sector where the adjusted data shows the strongest outlook in 27 years. Slightly weaker but solid hiring expectations are also expected in the US manufacturing and services sectors."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Strong job growth in India, US; weak outlook for Europe</b>
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Prospects for job growth in early 2006 are <b>strong in India, New Zealand, Taiwan, United States and Australia</b>, but weak in most of Europe, a global survey showed.
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey showed hiring expectations for <b>Sweden and France in the first quarter of 2006 were the weakest since the survey began in these countries in the third quarter of 2003</b>.
The survey by the employment consulting and recruitment group showed 19 of 23 countries surveyed reported positive hiring outlooks for the quarter ahead. But 11 of 23 were weaker compared to last year at this time and most of the lower outlooks are from European employers.
Manpower, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, said its quarterly report is "the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world," based on data from more than 45,000 employers worldwide.
"First-quarter hiring across the European labor markets we survey is typically soft, but this year it appears more pervasive, with only UK employers looking to accelerate hiring from the fourth quarter," said Jeffrey Joerres, chairman and chief executive of Manpower Inc.
"A number of labor markets in this region are currently experiencing challenging political, social and economic conditions and this is clearly having an impact on businesses' willingness and/or ability to add to their work forces. For now, at least, companies are going to continue to be cautious."
<b>Among the 12 countries surveyed in Europe, employment prospects were strongest in Britain, Ireland, Norway, Belgium and Spain.</b>
But hiring in Asia Pacific remains strong, according to the survey.
Positive outlooks come from companies in India, New Zealand, Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, China and Japan.
<b>"Hiring expectations in India continue to be strongest in the finance/insurance/real estate and services industry sectors," said Joerres.</b>
"However, Indian employers are decidedly more uncertain about hiring as the data shows a 14 percent increase from fourth quarter in the number employers who don't know whether they'll add employees during the next three months."
Japanese employers reported their strongest first quarter outlook since the survey began, he added.
In the Americas, slightly slower hiring is expected in six of 10 US industry sectors in the first quarter, but the overall outlook for the US is strong, Manpower said. Canadian employers also expect a healthy hiring pace but just slightly below the rate reported in the previous year.
"Seasonally adjusted data indicates that US job seekers can expect the same solid hiring pace that employers exhibited throughout 2005," said Joerres.
"Employers are most upbeat about hiring in the construction sector where the adjusted data shows the strongest outlook in 27 years. Slightly weaker but solid hiring expectations are also expected in the US manufacturing and services sectors."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->