German businesses are looking for new employees in 2018, according to the latest employment barometer from the Institute for Economic Research (Ifo).

The Ifo employment barometer fell to 113.6 points in February 2018, compared to 113.8 points in January, showing a strong job market. The services sector was the biggest driver of employment growth in Germany for February. Employment growth in the trade and construction sectors remains high but weaker than in the previous month. 

The Ifo Employment Barometer is based on approximately 9,500 monthly reports from manufacturing, construction, wholesaling, retailing and service sectors. Companies are asked to report their employment plans for the next three months.

Meanwhile, separate data from the Federal Employment Agency showed that the number of temporary workers for the period from July 2016 to July 2017 showed an increase of 4%.