ZURICH, May 8 (Reuters) - Adecco on Thursday

said its hiring numbers have shown "modest positive momentum"

since the start of April as the staffing company reported

better-than-expected earnings for the first three months of the

year.

The Swiss company, which provides temporary and permanent

staff to employers, reported operating income of 111 million

euros ($125.71 million) for the three months to the end of

March, ahead of analyst forecasts for 97 million euros.

Net income of 60 million euros beat forecasts for 49 million

euros.

Both figures were lower than a year earlier, while Adecco's

revenue fell 3% to 5.57 billion euros, beating forecasts for

5.51 billion euros in a company-gathered consensus of forecasts.

Recruiters have recently flagged concerns about a

worsening job market due to an escalating global trade war and

Europe's economic struggles.

CEO Denis Machuel said Adecco was dealing with the

increased macroeconomic uncertainty caused by changing trade

policy and was gaining market share from rivals.

Adecco's Dutch peer Randstad

last month

said its clients were currently holding back on investment

decisions, including whether to hire, while ManpowerGroup ( MAN )

said companies were taking a wait-and-see approach on

whether to take on new staff.

($1 = 0.8830 euros)