A leading UK recruitment agency in the IT jobs sector has released data from their Q1 2009 records which indicates a strong resilience in the financial and banking sectors regarding their Information Technology recruiting power.The recruitment agency in question is well placed to provide a litmus test for the UK IT jobs industry having nationwide coverage and a wealth of experience in sourcing and placing vacancies and candidates in the IT sector. The strength of these sectors spans both temporary/contractual positions as well as permanent vacancies. The figures used are all based on actual client requirements that were received over the given period; as such they show national averages and consequently do not reflect specific regional differences.Contractual positions: 1. Finance; 2. Banking; 3. Investment Banking; 4. Government; 5. Telecoms.Permanent positions: 1. Finance; 2. Banking; 3. Pensions; 4. Telecoms; 5. E-Commerce.Given the well documented problems in these sectors in the second half of 2008 and the mixed results coming from the large financial institutions in 2009 so far, it is encouraging to note that these major players in IT recruitment are still topping the list for demand for IT talent. This helps to show the resilience of the IT sector, especially in organisations such as those in banking and finance which heavily rely on high tech systems and computerised data collection and distribution.Although in the back end of 2008 there were numerous redundancies across all job and industry sectors, including IT, the strength and importance of IT workers is borne out by the strong showing from these sectors which were most badly hit in the UK recession. Highly skilled technical staff in the demanding fields of IT programming, analytics and system architecture will always be in demand and are still able to command excellent salaries. Forming the lynchpins of virtually innumerable financial related institutions, the IT systems experts are finding that their skills are once again becoming increasingly in demand as the large organisations start to plan for the upturn that can be expected in the wider economy over the coming months.There may be more of a tendency in the short term for some companies to favour offering shorter term contracts, but as the economy stabilises and begins to show signs of growth we can expect to see a slight shift towards long-term and permanent contracts being offered to the most skilled IT staff, because the need for such professionals will be increasing all the time and companies will be keen to hold onto the top talent.Indeed some companies may already be rueing releasing IT workers last year only to find that they are now urgently in need of the very same skills even now as the first signs of recovery are being felt.The agency continues to closely the monitor the entire IT sector and as the year progresses will be making further informed observations about the UK IT jobs sector. On this evidence, the IT industry certainly remains a strong career path for relative stability and demand for skills.
Promotional Apparel – Facts and Purchasing Tips
Custom printed apparel is a very popular way of advertising your business. Clothing is one of our basic necessities. We cannot go out into the world wearing nothing on right? Similarly, a marketing strategy is not complete without promotional apparel. They really do score you big publicity points.It is said that the early men and women who walked the earth used leaves, grass, fur and leather as clothing materials. They basically just enveloped in it their body to protect themselves from the elements. It is not yet confirmed when humans first started wearing clothes but scientists theorized that it was probably during the time when people traveled from Africa to other parts of the world. It is important to note, however, that style, appearance, and form of clothes are based on many factors like gender, race, religion and social status. Apparel is another term for clothing.Presently, humans wear a variety of apparel. Men wear polo shirts, slacks, pants and shorts. Women usually don dresses, skirts, blouses as polo shirts as well. Children wear basically similar items but may differ in style and size. Corporate apparel may also include sweat shirts, jacket, and even windbreakers. Accessories like footwear, scarves, towels, and caps may also be considered as apparel.The advantages of giving away promotional apparel are:1. Wide Audience Reach – Given the assortment of items, custom printed apparel will surely attract a lot of people’s attention because everyone can wear them. Just imagine well-designed promotional apparel, say a T-shirt for example, worn by most men and women in your own town or city. The rate of publicity of your company will shoot up big time.2. Variety in Styles – Promotional apparel come in different styles that range from formal to casual. You are therefore given the liberty to choose which kind or style best works for you.3. Ease and Comfort – Most custom made apparel is easy to use, clean and maintain. They’re also comfortable to wear.4. Print-ability – One of clothing items’ best qualities is that they are ideal for printing and embroidery. You may choose which method works for you best and apply it to your promotional apparel.5. Durability – They are made to last. You can be sure that your customers and clients will be able to enjoy its benefits for a long time which also means longer advertisement time for you!Are you now excited to get your own set of customized apparel? Read these tips first:1. Plan Your Budget – It is always best to draw up a budget plan first before you settle on any business deal. Know how much you can spend on promotional items so you don’t go overboard.2. Consider the Weather – Before you get a whole batch of shirts or jackets printed try to identify first what time of the year you plan on giving away these items? Will it be during the winter or summer season? If it’s for the chilly season you might want to order long sleeved shirts. However if you plan to have your launching day during summertime you would have to settle for T-shirts that are made of light fabric. The kind of apparel you give out should be in accordance to the present weather.3. Gender Studies – You should also take into account the type of target audience you have. Will they be generally male or female? You might want to choose an article of clothing that would suit both sexes.4. Color Matters – Choose colors that would best suit your company name or logo. While it is fun to experiment on different color schemes you have to be wise about picking a design that would look appealing and eye-catchy.
S&P 500 Rallies As U.S. Dollar Pulls Back Towards Weekly Lows
Key Insights
The strong pullback in the U.S. dollar provided significant support to stocks.
Treasury yields have pulled back after touching new highs, which served as an additional positive catalyst for S&P 500.
A move above 3730 will push S&P 500 towards the resistance level at 3760.
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Pfizer Rallies After Announcing A Huge Price Hike For Its COVID-19 Vaccines
S&P 500 is currently trying to settle above 3730 as traders’ appetite for risk is growing. The U.S. dollar has recently gained strong downside momentum as the BoJ intervened to stop the rally in USD/JPY. Weaker U.S. dollar is bullish for stocks as it increases profits of multinational companies and makes U.S. equities cheaper for foreign investors.
The leading oil services company Schlumberger is up by 9% after beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Schlumberger’s peers Baker Hughes and Halliburton have also enjoyed strong support today.
Vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna gained strong upside momentum after Pfizer announced that it will raise the price of its coronavirus vaccine to $110 – $130 per shot.
Biggest losers today include Verizon and Twitter. Verizon is down by 5% despite beating analyst estimates on both earnings and revenue. Subscriber numbers missed estimates, and traders pushed the stock to multi-year lows.
Twitter stock moved towards the $50 level as the U.S. may conduct a security review of Musk’s purchase of the company.
From a big picture point of view, today’s rebound is broad, and most market segments are moving higher. Treasury yields have started to move lower after testing new highs, providing additional support to S&P 500. It looks that some traders are ready to bet that Fed will be less hawkish than previously expected.
S&P 500 Tests Resistance At 3730
S&P 500 has recently managed to get above the 20 EMA and is trying to settle above the resistance at 3730. RSI is in the moderate territory, and there is plenty of room to gain additional upside momentum in case the right catalysts emerge.
If S&P 500 manages to settle above 3730, it will head towards the next resistance level at 3760. A successful test of this level will push S&P 500 towards the next resistance at October highs at 3805. The 50 EMA is located in the nearby, so S&P 500 will likely face strong resistance above the 3800 level.
On the support side, the previous resistance at 3700 will likely serve as the first support level for S&P 500. In case S&P 500 declines below this level, it will move towards the next support level at 3675. A move below 3675 will push S&P 500 towards the support at 3640.