Robert Half International News Release (04/24/12)

Robert Half International Inc. reported net income of $48.3 million or $0.34 per share, on revenues of $1.02 billion, for the quarter ending March 31. Net income for the prior year’s first quarter was $26.7 million or $0.18 per share, on revenues of $880.9 million. Strong demand for specialized staffing and consulting services boosted revenue.

Staffing revenue in the U.S. rose 19.6% compared with the year before, while international revenue grew 9%. The increase in U.S. staffing was driven by a 28.1% increase in permanent job placements, while temporary placements were up 19%.

“We were pleased with our financial results for the quarter, which were the result of continued strong demand for our specialized staffing and consulting services,” says Harold M. Messmer Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Robert Half International.

Mastech Holdings News Release (04/25/12)

Mastech Holdings Inc.’s revenues for the first quarter of 2012 were $24.5 million, which represented a 23% increase over the corresponding quarter last year and a 2.5% improvement over fourth-quarter 2011 results. Consolidated net income for the first quarter of 2012 totaled $352,000, or $0.10 per diluted share, compared to $37,000, or $0.01 per diluted share, in the same period last year. Demand for the company’s information technology and health care staffing services remained solid during the first quarter. Market conditions in health care staffing remained largely positive and the company achieved sequential revenue growth for the seventh consecutive quarter.

Barrett Business Services News Release (04/24/12)

Barrett Business Services Inc. reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31. The company’s net revenues were up 20% compared with the first quarter of 2011, to $82.4 million. The improvement is attributed primarily to the net increase in the company’s professional employer organization clients and same-store sales.

Daily Markets (04/24/12) Mark Perry

The ASA Weekly Staffing Index for the week ending April 15 rose to 91, marking the highest reading in 2012 and the highest in the month of April since 2008. The index rose 1.84% from the previous week and 6.9% from the same period in 2011. It came in just below the index of 93 during the same week in 2007 just prior to the recession. Observers say the index points to continuing improvements in the overall labor market.

The Conference Board News Release (04/24/12)

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index barely budged in April following a slight drop in March, coming in at 69.2. The Expectations Index, meanwhile, slipped from 82.5 to 81.1, and the Present Situation Index rose from 49.9 to 51.4. Consumers had mixed feelings about the job market, with a drop in those believing jobs are “hard to get” from 40.7% to 37.5% and a decline in those believing jobs are “plentiful” from 9% to 8.4%. As for the labor market outlook during the next six months, the percentage of consumers expecting job growth slipped from 17.4% to 16.9%, and those predicting fewer jobs fell from 18.5% to 18%.

Bloomberg (04/25/12) Timothy Homan

Orders for long-lasting U.S. goods sank 4.2% in March, the steepest monthly decline in three years, the U.S. Commerce Department reported today. Economists forecasted a 1.7% decline, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey. Slowdowns in Europe and China may limit exports, while business investment cools after the strongest 10-quarter performance in a decade, leading to a slowdown in manufacturing.