Trading updates issued by recruiters at the end of the year were mostly positive, boosting shares. Hays was among this group, and there were also largely-dismissed rumours it would attract a takeover bid of 220p a share from Adecco.
IT recruiter Harvey Nash rose after a trading update for the year to 31 January said results would be ahead of forecasts. The shares have doubled in just over a year but are still only worth about 10% of the price at which they peaked in the year 2000. Rival SThree slipped back slightly, ahead of its annual results, due on 7 February. This marks the start of the reporting season.
Recruiters will receive thousands of CVs and application forms during the first few months of 2007. But just how easy is it for employers to spot the genuine candidates from the fakers?
Shares in information communications technologies recruiter Glotel dived after it warned on profits. But finance recruiter Michael Page continues to boast record profits, pushing its shares to new highs (see www.recruiter.co.uk for more on trading updates).