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SINGAPORE, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Even as hiring sentiment across Asia Pacific and the Middle East (APME) moderated in Q3 2026, employers continue to indicate a willingness to pay a premium for skills including AI literacy as well as communication, collaboration, and teamwork, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.
The survey of 13,168 employers across 11 APME countries and territories found that 43% of employers plan to increase headcount in the coming quarter, 15% anticipate a decrease in staffing levels, while 41% expect no change. This results in a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of +28%, down 10 points from Q2 2026, while remaining unchanged year over year.
"The broad moderation in hiring sentiment across the region reflects a far more complex operating environment in Q3, shaped by geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and rising cost pressures," said François Lançon, Regional President, Asia Pacific & Middle East, ManpowerGroup. "These forces are affecting markets unevenly, dampening confidence in more trade‑ and energy‑exposed economies, while growth markets with strong domestic demand and technology momentum show relative resilience. Even so, employers are taking a more cautious approach to hiring as the downstream effects of higher energy and operating costs continue to unfold."
Beyond hiring intentions, the survey examined which technical and interpersonal skills employers are willing to pay a premium for in the coming quarter. Employers in APME report being willing to pay a premium for technical skills including AI literacy (69%), AI model and application development (68%), and sales and marketing skills (66%). While soft skills employers in the region are willing to pay a premium for include communication, collaboration, and teamwork (74%), followed by critical thinking and problem‑solving (71%), with adaptability and willingness to learn, as well as professionalism and work ethic tied for third at 70%.
View the full results: https://www.manpower.com.sg/en/meos-apme
About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for more than 75 years.
SINGAPORE, June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Even as hiring sentiment across Asia Pacific and the Middle East (APME) moderated in Q3 2026, employers continue to indicate a willingness to pay a premium for skills including AI literacy as well as communication, collaboration, and teamwork, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.
The survey of 13,168 employers across 11 APME countries and territories found that 43% of employers plan to increase headcount in the coming quarter, 15% anticipate a decrease in staffing levels, while 41% expect no change. This results in a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of +28%, down 10 points from Q2 2026, while remaining unchanged year over year.
"The broad moderation in hiring sentiment across the region reflects a far more complex operating environment in Q3, shaped by geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and rising cost pressures," said François Lançon, Regional President, Asia Pacific & Middle East, ManpowerGroup. "These forces are affecting markets unevenly, dampening confidence in more trade‑ and energy‑exposed economies, while growth markets with strong domestic demand and technology momentum show relative resilience. Even so, employers are taking a more cautious approach to hiring as the downstream effects of higher energy and operating costs continue to unfold."
Beyond hiring intentions, the survey examined which technical and interpersonal skills employers are willing to pay a premium for in the coming quarter. Employers in APME report being willing to pay a premium for technical skills including AI literacy (69%), AI model and application development (68%), and sales and marketing skills (66%). While soft skills employers in the region are willing to pay a premium for include communication, collaboration, and teamwork (74%), followed by critical thinking and problem‑solving (71%), with adaptability and willingness to learn, as well as professionalism and work ethic tied for third at 70%.
View the full results: https://www.manpower.com.sg/en/meos-apme
About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for more than 75 years.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Skills Remain in Focus as Hiring Momentum Moderates Across APME in Q3 2026, ManpowerGroup Survey Finds
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In the news release, AMPERA Establishes Australian Subsidiary to Secure Thorium Supply and Support U.S. Advanced Nuclear Fuel Production, issued 08-Jun-2026 by AMPERA over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end:
AMPERA Establishes Australian Subsidiary to Secure Thorium Supply and Support U.S. Advanced Nuclear Fuel Production
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AMPERA today announced its factory-built, scalable, supercritical nuclear energy system will be fueled by thorium procured from Australia and produced in-house by the company.
In October 2025, the United States government announced a framework with Australia securing supply for mining and processing of critical, rare-Earth minerals. In February, AMPERA formed Ampera Australia Pty Ltd to expedite the procurement and import of thorium to the U.S.
"Our strategy is to secure thorium directly at the source and vertically integrate the entire fuel value chain, from mineral supply through advanced fuel production," said AMPERA Founder and CEO Brian Matthews. "Thorium offers a compelling combination of abundance, energy potential, economics, and safety, making it an ideal fuel for AMPERA's advanced microreactors and a promising resource for the broader nuclear industry."
AMPERA's broad fuel platform is built on proprietary processes protected by trade secrets and more than 60 patents for nuclear fuel manufacturing, including proprietary jetting technology used to produce high-quality safe tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel kernels.
Advanced thorium fuel cycles have the potential to achieve significantly higher fuel utilization than conventional uranium fuel cycles. According to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, thorium could potentially offer a long-term solution to humanity's energy needs.
Thorium, periodic table element 90, is naturally occurring and over three times more abundant in Earth's crust than uranium. While thorium can provide an energy dense fuel source, it is weakly radioactive, yet fertile, allowing it to be converted into reactor fuel. Additionally, it is far less conducive for weapons proliferation and has the potential to reduce long-lived actinide waste relative to conventional uranium-plutonium fuel cycles.
"Thorium is the future for ultra-safe, clean power production," Matthews said. "By producing TRISO thorium kernels in the United States, we can ensure ample access to the needed fuel supply as we scale up and also minimize price volatility risk."
In April, AMPERA held a grand opening for its global headquarters in Florida. The company plans to produce TRISO thorium kernels at another location in the state. AMPERA's advanced reactors will be factory sealed and are being designed not to require refueling for 30 years.
About AMPERA
AMPERA is an advanced next-generation energy company pioneering subcritical thorium-based microreactor systems for the AI era that are energy dense and do not require refueling. Through its proprietary TRISO fuel platform, neutron-source technology and advanced additive manufacturing, AMPERA delivers scalable, factory-built, rapidly deployable, emission-free power for data centers, defense, industrial and maritime applications. Learn more at www.amperacleanenergy.com.
Correction: The photo and caption have been updated.
In the news release, AMPERA Establishes Australian Subsidiary to Secure Thorium Supply and Support U.S. Advanced Nuclear Fuel Production, issued 08-Jun-2026 by AMPERA over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end:
AMPERA Establishes Australian Subsidiary to Secure Thorium Supply and Support U.S. Advanced Nuclear Fuel Production
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AMPERA today announced its factory-built, scalable, supercritical nuclear energy system will be fueled by thorium procured from Australia and produced in-house by the company.
In October 2025, the United States government announced a framework with Australia securing supply for mining and processing of critical, rare-Earth minerals. In February, AMPERA formed Ampera Australia Pty Ltd to expedite the procurement and import of thorium to the U.S.
"Our strategy is to secure thorium directly at the source and vertically integrate the entire fuel value chain, from mineral supply through advanced fuel production," said AMPERA Founder and CEO Brian Matthews. "Thorium offers a compelling combination of abundance, energy potential, economics, and safety, making it an ideal fuel for AMPERA's advanced microreactors and a promising resource for the broader nuclear industry."
AMPERA's broad fuel platform is built on proprietary processes protected by trade secrets and more than 60 patents for nuclear fuel manufacturing, including proprietary jetting technology used to produce high-quality safe tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel kernels.
Advanced thorium fuel cycles have the potential to achieve significantly higher fuel utilization than conventional uranium fuel cycles. According to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, thorium could potentially offer a long-term solution to humanity's energy needs.
Thorium, periodic table element 90, is naturally occurring and over three times more abundant in Earth's crust than uranium. While thorium can provide an energy dense fuel source, it is weakly radioactive, yet fertile, allowing it to be converted into reactor fuel. Additionally, it is far less conducive for weapons proliferation and has the potential to reduce long-lived actinide waste relative to conventional uranium-plutonium fuel cycles.
"Thorium is the future for ultra-safe, clean power production," Matthews said. "By producing TRISO thorium kernels in the United States, we can ensure ample access to the needed fuel supply as we scale up and also minimize price volatility risk."
In April, AMPERA held a grand opening for its global headquarters in Florida. The company plans to produce TRISO thorium kernels at another location in the state. AMPERA's advanced reactors will be factory sealed and are being designed not to require refueling for 30 years.
About AMPERA
AMPERA is an advanced next-generation energy company pioneering subcritical thorium-based microreactor systems for the AI era that are energy dense and do not require refueling. Through its proprietary TRISO fuel platform, neutron-source technology and advanced additive manufacturing, AMPERA delivers scalable, factory-built, rapidly deployable, emission-free power for data centers, defense, industrial and maritime applications. Learn more at www.amperacleanenergy.com.
Correction: The photo and caption have been updated.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
/C O R R E C T I O N -- AMPERA/
AMPERA Establishes Australian Subsidiary to Secure Thorium Supply and Support U.S. Advanced Nuclear Fuel Production
