Fewer financial industry positions

There will be 2,000 new financial industry jobs in 2005 compared with 4,000 this year, as slower economic growth damps markets and recruiting, a study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research said.

The number of jobs will reach a total of 313,000 this year, 315,000 next year and 317,000 in 2006, the study said. The London- based CEBR in July had forecast an increase of 8,000 jobs in 2004.

“Weaker stock markets, the fall in bond prices and the knock-on impacts on mergers and acquisitions and other city-type services” are contributing to the slowdown, the study said.