SThree: Recruiter SThree reports lower first-quarter net fees as hiring slows

March 18 (Reuters) - British recruiter SThree reported a 15% fall in its first-quarter net fees on Tuesday, as economic uncertainty and tough conditions in key markets slow down hiring. Financial and political upheaval in major economies, such as the U.S., Germany, and the UK, has dampened confidence among employers, slowing both permanent and temporary recruitment by companies. The company reiterated expectation for 2025 pretax profit of about 25 million pounds ($32.45 million), compared with an average analysts estimates of 26.2 million pounds, according to a company-compiled poll. The recruiter reported group net fees of 78.4 million pounds for the three months ended February 28, compared with 93.7 million pounds a year ago. ($1 = 0.7704 pounds) (Reporting by Raechel Thankam Job and Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)