Technical recruitment firm Matchtech reported pre-tax profit of £4.7m for the six months to January, up from £3.5m a year earlier.

Turnover rose 30% to £93.4m.

Chairman George Materna said: “The markets we serve are demonstrating strong demand for qualified white collar staff and we are continuing to develop our offering though further investment in the business.

Matchtech said engineering, its biggest sector, “saw a significant increase in permanent fees, reflecting strong client demand for candidates and continuing salary inflation”.

The shares rose in early trade, and are now at their highest since the company floated on the Alternative Investment Market in October.