UPDATE 1 — UK recruiter Michael Page returns to profit growth after four — year slump

Q3 gross profit rises 1.5% Americas gross profit jumps 8.9%, Asia Pacific grows 14.7% Europe remains weakest region Shares down 4% (Adds CEO comments in paragraph 1, 4, 5, and 6, shares in 13, details and context throughout) By Nithyashree R B Oct 13 (Reuters) — British recruiter Michael Page returned to profit growth after four years of declines, and its CEO expects the recovery to last into 2027 on strong hiring across US construction and Asian markets. Recruiters have been grappling with a weak jobs market across Europe as tariffs, political uncertainty and higher energy prices make employers cautious. However, pockets of strength in the US, Japan, China and India helped Michael Page post a 1.5% increase in third-quarter gross profit. Us Stages Recovery CEO Nicholas Kirk told Reuters white-collar hiring recoveries tend to come in three stages: confidence improves, more job offers turn into hires, then jobs and interviews rise. Kirk said the US, where white collar-focussed Michael Page has grown for eight consecutive quarters, was at the final stage of this cycle. Europe Lags Britain, Germany, and Northern Europe were still at the first stage. "Things feel better, but they're yet