Online recruitment activity dipped across Europe in September, with France, Italy and the UK reporting the steepest declines in job availability. In addition, the Index’s year-on-year growth rate fell to five percent from 11 percent in the previous month.

Germany remained the top growth country on an annual basis, up eight percent from a year ago. Belgium and the Netherlands reported fewer online opportunities in September and registered the largest annual declines.

The Monster Employment Index Europe is a monthly analysis of millions of online job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of corporate career sites and job boards across Europe, including Monster.

* The Monster Employment Index Europe dipped four points in September to 155, as online job opportunities fell for the sixth consecutive month

* Whilst Germany and Sweden reported increased online job opportunities, these were offset by sharp declines in France, Italy and the UK

* The Index remains up on last year’s figures, however the annual growth rate fell from 11 percent in August, to five percent in September

* Environment, architecture and urbanism; healthcare and social work; automotive; and education, training and library registered sharp declines in September

* The evolving credit crisis continued to affect recruitment activity in the banking, finance and insurance sector, as opportunities fell to an eight-month low

* Among occupational groups, demand fell significantly for legislators, senior officials and managers