The number of online job adverts fell below their pre-coronavirus level for the first time since mid-April 2021 in the week to Jan. 6, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.

The total number of online job adverts fell by 3% compared with the previous week, the latest in a string of declines, with the human resources and recruitment job category showing the largest decrease followed by energy, oil and gas, the ONS said.

Consumer behaviour indicators mostly fell with Revolut debit card spending down by 7 percentage points and retail footfall at 84% of the level of the previous week, in line with expected seasonal patterns, the ONS said.

(Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Alistair Smout)