The news of employment avenues scaling new heights in the last quarter of 2006 was confirmed by the latest Financial Services Survey report published by the CBI and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

This has been coupled by a revival from a summer slump to a hearty business growth in volumes. Though this was expected, the record recruitment came as a pleasant surprise. 

The record hiring figures increased by a balance of 55 percent, a substantial improvement over the September figure of eight percent. The growth in business volumes registered a net balance of 38 percent, which is a significant development over a balance of just two per cent in September.

Upbeat about the prospects, Doug Godden, CBI Head of Economic Analysis, said: "These results mark a return to form for the financial sector which, apart from the summer's lull, has delivered strong growth for over a year. Although confidence is little changed, the commitment to hiring more staff and the expected increases in volumes and profitability all bode well for the first quarter of 2007.”