Next raises profit outlook on strong recent trading

Its central guidance is for full-price sales for the rest of the year to be down 12%.

Clothing retailer Next raised its profit outlook for the second time in two months as it reported strong recent trading.

The group, which trades from about 500 stores in the UK and Ireland and its Directory online business, said full-price sales in the last seven weeks were up 4% on last year, which it said was driven by recent cool weather and fewer overseas holidays.