Despite unemployment reaching 2.44 million, the jobs market appears to be stabilising, according to recruitment firm Michael Page.

According to the firm's half-year results for the period ended 30 June 2009, although market conditions remain weak, there have been signs of stabilisation in some sectors.

The company, which specialises in placing staff in senior and middle management roles, reports a profitable first half of 2009, with profit of 43.2 million, compared with £84.1 million in 2008, and as a result has had to cut staff numbers by 1,241 since the start of the year.

But, speaking to the Guardian, chief executive Steve Ingham, said: "It's too early to call the end of the recession but confidence has improved, and people seem to want to move jobs more now than they did before."