THE nation's job market remains buoyant, with employers expecting to continue recruiting staff over the next three months, according to a new report today.

A survey of 2,100 employers showed that finance and business firms were the most optimistic, followed by those in the construction sector.

Hotels and retail companies were more cautious about hiring intentions than a year ago, the employment research group Manpower found.

Mark Cahill, managing director of Manpower, said: "The UK employment market has been well known for its resilience and stability and this picture looks set to continue.

"The strong results from the finance and business sector are good for the UK as they are often indicators of wider business confidence.

"The much-reported troubles on the high street are reflected in more cautious hiring intentions from retailers, as consumers tighten their belts and rein in spending.

"This is the first time in recent history weve seen such a fall in confidence from the high street, but it is too early to say whether this is a short-term blip or a more longer-term dip."

The employment outlook in the West Midlands was said to be positive despite the collapse of car maker MG Rover, which led to thousands of job losses.

Scotland was the most optimistic region for jobs in the next few months.

Employers in the North West, South East and East Anglia were least optimistic.