‘It probably could do my job’: New ChatGPT model catches up with junior bank analysts Tech OpenAI introduced a new ChatGPT model on Thursday, which they claim is the first to outperform human experts. The software, GPT-5.2, is specifically designed for professional use and was tested using tasks which would typically be assigned to a junior analyst at an investment bank. These included putting together a three-statement model for a Fortune [...]
Why graduates face a brutal jobs market Business While students flung mortar boards in the air after receiving their degrees, not everyone had cause to celebrate. Graduation was supposed to be the golden ticket to a dream career: get a good degree at a good university, and jobs at professional service firms, banks and consultancies would be there for the taking. For many [...]
Losses double at global recruiter despite sales passing £2bn Business Losses at a UK-headquartered global recruitment giant more doubled despite its revenue passing the $3bn (£2.2bn) mark during its latest financial year. Altrincham-headquartered NES Fircroft has posted a pre-tax loss of $67.7m for the 12 months to 31 October, 2024, according to new accounts filed with Companies House. The loss comes after the business also [...]
Robert Walters plunges into loss amid challenging hiring market July 31, 2025 Robert Walters generated nearly £8m in losses over H1 of 2015 as the firm grapples with a 'challenging' hiring market that resulted in rounds of redundancies.
Robert Walters: Recruiter’s income slumps as tariff pressures bite July 15, 2025 Recruiter Robert Walters took a hit to income in the second quarter of 2025 as economic pressures weighed on hiring. The group recorded a 13 per cent slump in net fee income to £72.7m as “macroeconomic uncertainty became more pronounced”. Fee income from specialist professional recruitment fell 14 per cent to £60.7m. Meanwhile, recruitment outsourcing [...]
UK resilience buoys Robert Walters amid global hiring slowdown April 15, 2025 Recruiter Robert Walters reported a tough first quarter of 2025, amid a global hiring slowdown and persistent economic uncertainty weighing heavily on recruitment activity. The group cited a combination of cautious employer sentiment, escalating trade tariffs, and shifting economic landscape as key factors disrupting the field. Despite the broader slowdown, the UK was the group’s [...]
Profit slumps at Page Group and Robert Walters as jobs market collapses March 6, 2025 The slowing jobs market has forced two of the UK’s largest recruiters to reveal painful last-year performances in which profit and revenue nosedived. Page Group and Robert Walters both posted double-digit falls in overall revenue for the year ended 31 December. The latter’s earnings plunged 16 per cent to £892m, while Page Group’s dropped 13.5 [...]
Hays: Profit cut in half at recruiter February 20, 2025 Hays has reported another drop in profit as it struggles amid a long-running in the recruitment sector. Group net fees, a key performance indicator in the recruitment sector, dropped 13 per cent in the six months ending 31 December. Operating profit fell 56 per cent to £25.5m, while profit before tax fell 66 per cent [...]
Profit at Robert Walters wiped out as jobs market misery spreads January 14, 2025 The firm faced pressures across all its main markets, with income falling in Asia-Pacific, Europe and the UK.
Robert Walters blames Budget uncertainty for slump in UK fees October 15, 2024 Recruiter Robert Walters has posted a slump in net fee income as economic and political uncertainty dragged on hiring in the UK and Europe.