Hiring to begin the upswing

According to the global Manpower Employment Outlook Survey results released today by Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN), employers in most major labor markets expect to hire in the second quarter at a pace equal to, or stronger than, the same period last year. However, many have yet to reach a pre-downturn hiring pace. Job prospects in the Asia Pacific region remain strong, with the exception of Japan, and hiring outlooks continue to improve modestly in most of the Americas region. In Europe, hiring patterns remain mixed with employers in eight countries indicating modest improvements compared to three months ago and the same period last year. Employer hiring intentions are strongest in India, Brazil and Taiwan, while in the U.S. they are similar to three months ago, but more optimistic compared to last year at this time