Shares in recruitment group CPL Resources rose 1.7% in Dublin trade today after it reported higher half yearly profits and revenues.
The company also said it remains confident it will deliver continued profitable growth for the rest of the year.
CPL said its pre-tax profit for the six months to the end of December rose by 6.9% to €8.088m, while revenues increased by 6% to €228.7m.
The company said it was proposing to pay an interim dividend of 5.75 cent per share, up 10% on the same time the previous year.
During the six month period, CPL said it saw further improvements in trading conditions in some of its markets.
But it took a foreign exchange charge of €0.5m due to the translation of sterling into euro after fluctuations in sterling after the Brexit vote.
The group noted that the proportion of its net fee income that is made up of permanent fees has reduced from 40% in the same time last year to 37%.
This was mainly due to longer lead times in appointing nursing staff in the UK after regulatory changes.
"The temporary staffing market remains highly competitive, but we have seen some margin improvement," the company added.
John Hennessy, CPL's chairman, said that political and economic events globally during the six month period have had limited impact on its key sectors, except for foreign exchange deals.
"During calendar year 2017 we expect the outcome of these events to become clearer, and consequent opportunities and challenges to present themselves," he added.
