NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Employers, confident but cautious, plan for modest hiring increases in the coming months, according to a survey released Tuesday.

Of 16,000 employers interviewed by the temporary staffing agency Manpower, 30 percent plan to add workers in the second quarter of 2006. Six percent plan on reducing staff, while 58 percent plan on no changes at all. Six percent were undecided.

"The U.S. job market has been growing at a safe, incremental pace in recent years, and Manpower's survey data highlights the comfort zone that has emerged from this climate," Jeffrey Joerres, Manpower's chief executive, said in a statement. "Employers have reported similar levels of hiring for nine quarters now, which tells us that they are not willing to throw off the equilibrium with radical shifts in hiring."

The mining industry reported the most bullish outlook in 25 years, fed by demand for coal in light of record energy prices, the survey said.

But the majority of other industries plan few changes, the report said. It noted a small uptick in hiring plans in the education sector, and a slight downturn in the public administration field.

Regionally, staffing plans for the Northeast, Midwest, South and West are all expected to remain consistent through June of 2006, the report said.

Manpower also surveys global patterns. Of the 47,000 employers contacted worldwide, those in Japan planned the most hiring increases, followed by India and Taiwan.

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