rise of 28.9% to HK$1.81bn (£152.1m) for the third quarter ended December 31, 2011. Sales soared 25.9% (20.7% on a like-for-like basis) in Hong Kong and Macau. Chairman and chief executive Dr Simon Kwok said of the performance: “The group remains cautiously optimistic on the retail sector of the Asian region.

“Although there may be cyclical downturns along the way, the overall prognosis for the cosmetics retail sector is positive based on rising affluence in the region, in particular in the mainland China market.”