M&S to add to retail gloom

Marks & Spencer is expected to add to the gloom on the UK high street tomorrow when the retail bellwether posts its fourth quarter trading update.

While M&S bucked the trend over the festive season, when like-for-like sales rose by a bigger-than-expected 2.8%, analysts have forecast a decline in like-for-like sales of 2.5% in the 13 weeks to April 2.