Carlisle Group reported turnover of £91.8m for the three months to September, compared with £90.3m for the same period a year earlier.

Pre-tax profit rose to £1.5m, from £1m. Chairman David Hammond said: “The business has met expectations, producing the projected growth over both prior quarter and prior year.”

The company said: “Demand for services and people supply in the markets for technology, telecoms, finance, accounting and scientific continues to be strong while growth in the markets for office staff and general and industrial staff is stable but flat.”

The shares were 4% higher in mid-morning trade.