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Permanent staff vacancies rose at their slowest pace in six months and short-term vacancies increased at their weakest rate since November 2010 according to the latest figures from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation for June.

There are some signs that employers' confidence about the pace of economic recovery is beginning to wane slightly when compared to their level of optimism reported in the first half of 2011.

A Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply spokesman commented that the scope for the private sector to make up for public sector layoffs still looks limited, suggesting that unemployment could stay stubbornly high for some time.

Two erroneous $11 doctor bills stopped Jeanne White from refinancing her home.
The 49-year-old resident of Colleyville, Texas, says she was shocked to learn in October that the two medical bills, which had been turned over to a collection agency, had caused her credit score to fall to 680 from 757 ? making refinancing far too expensive.
"I was told I'd have to pay $14,000 in closing costs to get a 5.5% interest rate," Ms. White says, substantially more than she would have paid with a higher credit score. When Ms. White, a retired sales manager, contacted the doctor's office, she found out the bills had been issued in error.