Seek defends attack on its Chinese job board, Zhaophin

Seek (ASX: SEK) and Blue Orca Capital have traded blows following the publication of a report by Blue Orca alleging that Seek’s Zhaopin job board in China is inundated with fake postings and which led to a trading halt on SEEK’s shares last week.

This morning, Seek published a two-page rebuttal...

Singapore – Jobs fall by 26,900 in Q3, smaller decline than Q2; concerns remain

Employment in Singapore fell by 26,900 jobs in the third quarter, but the decline was much smaller than the 103,800 jobs lost in the second quarter, the Singapore Ministry of Manpower reported on Friday.

It noted that the number of non-residents employed fell in the third quarter, though employment among...

Australia – Job ad numbers at 90% of pre-Covid levels

Job ad numbers across Australia were 90% of their pre-Covid levels in the two weeks ended 25 October, according to a report by job site operator Seek.

“This is the highest national job ad figure since Covid began having an impact in March,” said Kendra Banks, managing director of Seek ANZ.

Job ads...

Japan – Outsourcing Inc. strikes deal in joint venture to make micro devices

Outsourcing Inc. (2427:TYO), the third-largest staffing firm in Japan, announced it finalised a deal for a joint venture with Dexerials Corp. to manufacture micro devices. The joint venture, OSCC Co. Ltd., will begin operations on 1 January 2021.

Plans call for Outsourcing to bring its human resources...

Japan – New sales up nearly 6% at staffing firm SMS

SMS Co. Ltd. (2175:TYO), a recruitment firm specialising in the elder and medical care fields, reported Thursday that net sales rose 5.7% in the first half of its fiscal year that ended 30 September. Profit jumped by 19.6% at the Tokyo-based company that ranks as the 31^st-largest staffing firm in Japan....

Japan – Engineering staffing provider Meitec reports net sales down 5% in first half

Engineering staffing provider Meitec Corp. (9744:TYO) reported Thursday that net sales fell 5.0% in the first half of fiscal year to 30 September. Net sales were negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Tokyo-based company, which ranks as the 10^th-largest staffing firm in Japan....

Japan – TechnoPro Holdings reports slight revenue increase in first quarter

TechnoPro Holdings, Inc, (6028:TYO) a Japan-based technology-focused staffing and services company, reported revenue today of JPY 39.2 billion (USD 375.4 million) for the first quarter ended 30 September 2020, an increase of 0.8% compared to the previous year.

Japan – Quick Co. revenue slips 2.9% in first half, profits also drop

Quick Co. Ltd (4318: JP), a Japanese staffing firm, reported revenue for the first six months ended 30 September 2020 of JPY 10.55 billion (USD 101.0 million), a decrease of 2.9% compared to the previous year.

Japan – JTec Corp. revenue down as it reports loss due to pandemic

Japanese staffing company JTec Corp. (2479: JP) reported revenue for the first six months ended 30 September 2020 of JPY 1.36 billion (USD 13.0 million), a decrease of 9.6% compared with last year.

Australia – AD1 Holdings reports cash receipts up 37%

Job search site AD1 Holdings (AD1:AU), previously known as ApplyDirect, announced a business update for the first quarter ended 30 September 2020.

The group reported cash receipts for the quarter were approximately AUD 864,000 (USD 608,696) representing an increase of 37% compared to the prior year. Normalised...