Monster says June Europe online job ad index rose for 5th month

Monster Worldwide Inc.ís index of online job advertisements in five European economies rose for a fifth month in June, driven by ad growth in Germany.



The Monster Employment Index Europe, which surveys job postings across more than 1,400 Web sites in Germany, France, the UK, the Netherlands and Sweden, increased to 108 from 105 in May, the New York-based recruitment company said in a faxed press release today. Monster started the index in December 2004.

``Despite the high rates of joblessness in many of the five European countries, the index has indicated that the overall number of online job opportunities has been steadily increasing since January,íí said Peter Dolphin, chief executive at Monster Worldwide Europe. This is ``clearly a positive sign for Europes labor markets as we head into the second half of 2005.íí

In the 12-nation euro region, unemployment near a five-year high is weighing on consumer confidence and hurting economic growth, which the European Central Bank expects to slow to about 1.4 percent this year from 2 percent in 2004. Signs unemployment may have peaked, with the jobless rate easing to 8.8 percent in May from Aprilís 8.9 percent, is aiding a revival in business optimism about the economic outlook.

Euro region business confidence rose for the first time in nine months in June, the European Commission said on June 30.

Monster said Germany continued a ``very strong, steady growth pattern in online recruitment activity in June, extending a seven- month growth trend.íí German unemployment fell to 11.7 percent in June from 11.8 percent in May.

In Germany, the Monster online job ads index rose to 109 in June from 106 in May. In France the Index held steady at 106; in the Netherlands it rose to 107 from 106 in May; in the UK it rose to 104 from 103, while in Sweden it fell to 104 from 105 in May.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Matthew Brockett in Frankfurt at mbrockett1@bloomberg.net.