2019.01.0901:26:00UTC+00UK Job Placement Growth Slowest Since April 2017

UK permanent job appointment grew at the weakest pace since early 2017 amid a sharp decline in the supply of candidates, survey data from IHS Markit showed on Wednesday.

The KPMG/REC Report on Jobs showed that weaker growth in appointments led to further marked increases in starting pay and salary inflation was the quickest in over three years.

The survey is based on responses from around 400 UK recruitment and employment consultancies and provides the first indication of labor market trends each month.

Temporary billings grew at a sharp rate, rising from November's 25-month low.

Growth of demand for both permanent and temporary workers was much stronger than seen on average over the survey's 21-year history, the report said.

"December is always a bit of lean period in the jobs market but Brexit has amplified that effect," James Stewart, Vice Chair at KPMG, said.