International recruiter Hays has seen profits fall in its results for the six months ended 31 December 2009.

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• Profit before tax fell 70% to £30.4m from £100.8m in 2008, excluding £27m related to an Office for Fair Trading fine currently under appeal.
• Turnover rose 1% to £1.29bn, falling 5% on a like-for-like basis due to the removal of the staff hire concession in April.
• Net fees fell by 31% to £264.8m
• Fees from temporary recruitment declined by 21% to £157.3m, while permanent fees fell 42% to £107.5m.
• UK net fees fell 37% on an actual and like for like basis to £121.5m, while net fees also fell in the Asia Pacific region to £64.2m from £88.3m and in Continental Europe from £102.8m to £79.1m.

Alistair Cox, chief executive of Hays, says: “These results illustrate the importance of our international business, which represents over three quarters of our worldwide profits. Throughout the recession we have protected the core of our international business and strengthened it by entering new geographies and sectors.

“Currently we are seeing improved candidate and client confidence across the business in most of our private sector markets. Asia Pacific and parts of Continental Europe have continued to deliver modest rates of sequential improvement.

“Our remaining businesses continue to see overall stability in their markets and in the UK we expect our performance to be broadly similar in the second half. Our exposure to high potential overseas markets, our investment in technology and the retention of our key people, position us extremely well to capitalise on the next phase of economic growth.”