US offset by difficult trading at home
Signet Group's like-for-like sales for the 13 weeks to April 30 grew 3.3 per cent. However, the US sales gains have been dented by a 6.2 per cent like-for-like slump in the retailers UK operations.

The retailers H Samuel, Leslie Davis and Ernest Jones divisions had combined sales of£91.3 million. These revenues are 24 per cent of Signet's total sales, with the US contributing£277.7 million for the period. Total group sales were£369 million.

Group chief executive Terry Burman said: 'The increase in group like-for-like sales was a solid result, which illustrates the benefit of the company's geographic spread. In the UK, as previously indicated at the time of the preliminary results announcement on April 6, the period has seen a marked deterioration in the general retail environment. Trading conditions continue to be very difficult.'

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