Listed recruitment services company Rubicor expects solid earnings growth over fiscal 2009 despite evidence of a hiring slowdown in some pockets of the economy after posting a turnaround in unaudited profit for 2007-08.

A skilled local labour shortage helped the company book a more than fourfold increase in underlying net profit from to $11.1 million in the financial year to June 30, against earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation up 72 per cent to $24.7 million.