The number of financial services jobs new to the market rose from 7,980 to 8,285 last month, while the number of professionals seeking new roles surged from 13,738 to 14,260. Morgan McKinley said the pick-up from July may be down to more Britons opting not to travel during the holiday season, with the pound having been at its weakest against the US dollar in 31 years, as well as due to growing concerns about terrorist attacks in Europe. In all, 6 per cent more than last year spent their holidays in the UK, according to the recruiter. 

“I suspect the staycation trend influenced this month’s job seeker data, as more people opted to stay closer to home. This allowed more time for professionals to consider their careers and therefore, register their interest with certain recruitment organisations,” said Hakan Enver, operations director at Morgan McKinley Financial Services.

A recent EY report found that among the largest financial institutions, “the immediate impact of the referendum has not been as stark as many initially feared”. Still, compared to a year ago, available jobs were down by 20 per cent and job seekers fell by 6 per cent, pointing towards an overall tougher employment climate this year.

Enver said there is “ongoing uncertainty as we wait to see the terms of the UK’s negotiations with the European Union”.

“Failure to protect passporting and to secure the right of EU citizens to live and work in London would certainly have ripple effects on City employment,” he said. “Which is why we’ll continue to see industry and political leaders make both issues central parts of negotiations.”