Britain's labour market showed tentative signs of stabilising in July, when Andy Burnham became prime minister, as the REC and KPMG gauge of permanent job placements rose to 50.0 from 49.1 and ended a 45-month downturn. Temporary placements eased to 51.9 from 52.7, but temporary vacancies increased for the first time in two years and the supply of temporary staff rose by the smallest amount since May 2023. Starting salary growth for newly hired permanent workers was the strongest in six months, while pay growth for temporary roles reached a 26-month high, a trend likely to remain in focus for Bank of England policymakers watching wage pressures.