Job vacancies in the UK climbed for the first time this year in July as employers stepped up advertising for roles, providing a positive sign about the labour market.
The number of jobs being advertised increased by 1.1% month on month to 862,043, according to search portal Adzuna.
Jobs seekers per vacancy also rose, reaching 2.09, meaning the UK labour market was at its most competitive level since May 2021.
The figures reflected optimism about the UK economy, said Adzuna data science head James Neave, after other surveys have shown declining job postings in previous months.
He said: “We are used to seeing job postings fall during the summer months as companies put hiring plans on pause because of the holidays.”
Confidence was also extending into junior-level hiring, Neave noted, as graduate roles being advertised climbed by 3.7% in July.
Adzuna data also showed average advertised salaries only ticked up by 0.08% to £38,863 over the month, likely spelling good news for the Bank of England in its efforts to stem persistent inflationary pressures.