This was most significantly witnessed in the permanent market but was not echoed in the temporary market. Indeed we have witnessed a sustained and continued growth in temporary staff levels over the last 18 months as businesses seek to manage unpredictable levels of supply and demand. There is a sense here that the market is beginning to find its feet, with the last quarter of 2009 and the first two months of 2010 showing a noticeable increase in permanent activity across the board. In fact we are now placing more people into permanent jobs than at any point in the last 18 months. The sales and marketing and multilingual sectors are showing significant growth. The recruitment market in general has also witnessed a recovery in the accountancy, banking and finance, IT and medical sectors. The industry is also expecting a surge in demand for skills associated with clean (renewable) energy over the coming year. While economists predict that the first quarter of the new financial year will not deliver the ray of light that we all hope for, the recruitment industry remains cautiously optimistic of a pick-up in recruitment activity.