Online hiring in Singapore down 2% in March

Biggest decline was seen in the finance sector.

Singapore reversed the online hiring growth it had in February, as hires slipped 2% in March.

According to the latest Monster Employment Index, Singapore reported an 11% decrease in demand for finance and accounts roles.

Monster.com managing director Sanjay Modi said this may be due to Southeast Asian banks grappling with sluggish economic conditions and the industry’s intense competitiveness.

"The recent plunge in hiring sentiment in Malaysia and Singapore can be attributed to recent retrenchments and redundancies due to economic restructuring and a slower economy," Modi noted.

Here's more from Monster.com:

Monster Employment Index Singapore recedes one percent from the year-ago level.

IT, Telecom/ISP and BPO/ITES registers the most-notable annual growth among industry sectors.

Advertising, Market Research, Public Relations, Media and Entertainment registers the most notable decline.

Software, Hardware, Telecom job roles witness the highest demand year-on-year.