Stock Markets Updates

US employers and recruiters have largely given up expectations for an increase in hiring this year, and more are cutting starting salaries, according to a semi-annual survey by Dice Holdings.Dice's survey found 10 percent of employers expect a hiring recovery in the second half of this year, down from 33 percent who said so in November. Thirty-one percent said layoffs were likely over the next six months, down only slightly from 34 percent six months ago.