Organization: The UK's first quarter saw an increase in salary growth, but April showed signs of weakness.

The survey released by human resources data publisher Brightmine on Wednesday shows that in the first quarter of 2026, the salary increase offered by UK employers has slightly increased, but there are preliminary signs of softening in April. April is a critical month for labor negotiations. The Bank of England is closely monitoring wage growth to assess inflationary pressures on the UK economy. Investors believe that compared to other countries, the UK economy is more susceptible to the impact of rising energy prices triggered by the Iran conflict. Official data released on Tuesday showed that in the three months leading up to February, the average weekly wage growth slowed less than expected, but other indicators including job vacancies and wage data indicated that the labor market softened in March following the outbreak of war. Brightmine reports that the median wage growth for the three months leading up to March was 3.5%; for the three months leading up to February and January, the growth rates were both 3.3%. Preliminary analysis shows that the median wage growth for April is 3%. Nearly half of annual wage agreements are reached in April, but due to uncertain economic prospects, rising minimum wages, and other costs, employers are more cautious.