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Christmas comes early for job market

Christmas has come early for the jobs market with seasonal jobs up significantly compared to last year, showing renewed confidence among businesses in the busy festive trading period, the latest Reed Job Index has found.

The index, published today, showed jobs in the retail sector are up 49% compared to November 2012. Construction and property jobs are also up 69% in the same period, mirroring the dramatic turnaround in the UK's property market this year.

The monthly job index, which is compiled using data from more than 160,000 vacancies advertised on Reed.co.uk, 28% higher than in November 2012.

The latest figures follow a number of record-breaking rises for the index during 2013, and show many businesses are actively planning to take on additional staff in the New Year.

James Reed, chairman of Reed, said: "Christmas is a crucial time of year for many businesses and a strong performance over the period can be the difference between a good year and a bad one.

"After a few years of disappointing Christmas performance, it's encouraging to see businesses recruiting with confidence as they once again look to the festive season as a cornerstone of this year's trading.

"However, the latest figures are not just a seasonal fillip. Core industries, such as manufacturing, continue to show strong jobs figures, adding weight to a growing body of evidence that growth will accelerate next year."