Job vacancies for accounting and finance professionals are increasing at a faster rate as the year progress, with demand particularly strong in the regions, according to research by recruitment specialists Robert Walters.

The company's European Jobs Index tracker of quarterly job levels shows a 16% rise in the number of jobs advertised in the sector between the second and third quarters of 2013, a significant increase on the 5% jump in vacancies between the first and second quarters of the year.

London continues to account for a substantial proportion of the increase, evidencing a 6% quarterly rise in third quarter vacancies. Robert Walters says, however, that the biggest rise was seen in the regions, which even outside of large urban centres produced an increase of 61%.

The banking and financial services sector is also showing a healthy level of recruitment activity, with the index recording a rise of 20% in advertised vacancies. In comparison, vacancy levels in the legal sector rose by only 4% while the number of advertised jobs in engineering remained flat.

Andrew Setchell, director of accountancy recruitment at Robert Walters, said: 'Retail and professional services have been among the most actively hiring sectors. Demand is particularly acute for accountants with technical or transactional experience, especially those with a commercial mindset and an appetite for helping the business move forward.'