In the red

Kingfisher announces a sales increase of 4.4 per cent for the 10 weeks to 12 July 2008. In like-for-like terms, sales were 1.5 per cent down on the same period last year. Sales in the United Kingdom rose by 5.1 per cent (-0.5 per cent like-for-like) and in France by 3.3 per cent (0.6 per cent like-for-like). Sales in the other countries where Kingfisher operates (Poland, China, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Russia) experienced growth of 4.8 per cent (-4.7 per cent like-for-like). Poland contributed an increase of 18.8 per cent (9.3 per cent like-for-like). Sales growth in Italy amounted to 5.1 per cent (-0.5 per cent like-for-like), and the group announced a sales decline of 24.5 per cent for China (-28.5 per cent like-for-like).