Recruitment, talent management and technology firm Rethink Group says that permanent recruitment levels remained “subdued” and “significantly” below expectations in the final three months of 2012.

However, the firm says that following a slow summer for both divisions, temporary activity returned to normal during the September. After investment in the business in early 2012, the firm expects to report a loss for the year, although net fee incomes for the 12 months increased by 11.3%.

Meanwhile staffing firm Empresaria Group says that is expects full year profitability “to be in line with current market expectations”, despite exceptional costs due to restructuring in Germany.

Chief executive officer Joost Kreulen says: "We have seen a strong performance from our Asian operations, a much improved second half performance in Chile and stable trading in the UK.”