More transport firms plan to increase staff levels in the second quarter of 2015.
The number of transport firms planning to put on more workers in the June quarter has risen compared to same period last year.
Dun & Bradstreet’s latest business expectations survey shows a rise in corporate hiring intentions for the second quarter of 2015, despite fewer companies anticipating increased sales or profits.
The survey shows 25 per cent of businesses in the transportation, communications and utilities sector plan to hire new staff in the second quarter, compared to 19 per cent the year before.
The result mirrors the intentions of businesses across all sectors, with 27 per cent reporting they will hire during the second quarter. Only 10 per cent plan to reduce staff numbers, while the majority expect to maintain existing levels.
However, second quarter expectations for sales, profits, selling prices and capital investment have all declined compared to the previous quarter.
“The downturn in business expectations for sales, profits and capital expenditure has continued into the June quarter,” Dun & Bradstreet economic adviser Stephen Koukoulas says.
“This disappointing news fits with signs of weaker economic growth, a sharp fall in private sector business investment and what is increasingly an entrenched period of sub-trend economic performance.”
Koukoulas says a slump in commodity prices and ongoing policy uncertainty are behind the weakening trend in business expectations.
“The one relatively bright point is the continued, moderate increase in employment expectations which is likely linked to record low wages growth rather than a strengthening in economic conditions,” he says.
Dun & Bradstreet director Steve Brown says the services sector is the most upbeat about employment in the next three months, with 36 per cent of businesses planning to hire staff during the period.
There has been a 10 per cent increase in hiring intentions in the construction sector due in large part to strong activity in the housing and building industry.