Currys and PC World owner Dixons Retail rose above the troubles of rivals Comet and Best Buy today by posting an improved UK performance.

FIRST-quarter sales at electrical goods retailer Dixons fell by 1% on a year-on-year basis, the group said yesterday, with its core Irish and British division seeing a 9% sales fall.

A BUSY day of reporting from retail sector leaders revealed supermarket giant, Tesco took a hit from the harsh weather over the Christmas and New Year trading period and Dixons Retail generated a 4% year-on-year sales fall in its core UK and Ireland division.

THE Irish operations of DSG International — the electronic goods retail group which operates the Currys, PC World and Dixons Travel brands — will not suffer any job losses as its parent continues to cut costs across the group.

Currys and PC World parent Dixons Retail today predicted Christmas trading would be competitive and tough as it reported slowing UK sales growth.

A STEADY stream of new television purchases in time for the summer’s World Cup in South Africa helped push overall first quarter sales at electronic goods retail group, DSG, up by 3% on a year-on-year basis.

The group behind Currys and PC World today said first quarter sales leapt 6% thanks to a World Cup boost for televisions and strong demand for Apple’s iPad.

DSG INTERNATIONAL – the group which owns the Currys, PC World and Dixons electrical goods retail chains – is aiming to create up to 100 jobs in its Irish operations by the end of this year, as fortunes begin to rise for the business.

Currys owner DSG International outlined plans for more new-look stores today after hailing the early success of its transformation strategy.

THE head of the Irish operations of electrical retail group DSG – which operates the Currys and PC World chains – has said that sales promotions here have helped improve sales despite the group’s first half figures showing an 11% drop in sales in its British and Irish division.

A major oil discovery for BP sent the group's shares racing to their highest close for nine months today, but failed to lift the wider market.

The London market remained under pressure today as financial stocks and mining firms led the top flight lower.

Currys owner DSG International revealed more trading gloom today as its PC World chain was hit by a sharp fall in sales to business customers.

Currys and PC World owner DSG International today racked up annual losses of £140.4m (€165m) as it warned markets were set to remain tough in the year ahead.

Blue chip stocks were dragged lower on the London Stock Exchange today amid a raft of disappointing updates and as the mammoth US rescue plan did little to budge economic fears.

DSG IRELAND — the holding company for the Curry’s, PC World and Dixon’s electrical goods retail brands here — is still aiming to expand its store presence, despite seeing sales decline significantly over the last three months.

DSG International, the owner of Currys and PC World, has put its loss-making central and eastern European operations up for sale, it was reported today.

Consumer electronics giant DSG today said it planned to cut capital expenditure by around £30m (€38.14m) this year as part of efforts to deal with deteriorating consumer confidence across Europe.

DSG INTERNATIONAL (DSGI) — the parent group of the Currys, PC World and Dixons electrical retail brands — said yesterday that its total group sales rose by 4% on a sterling basis, but fell by 2% in local currency over the four months (to the end of August) of its current financial year.

Currys and PC World owner DSG International is expected to announce hundreds of store closures that could put jobs at risk under turnaround plans due to be unveiled this week, reports said today.

UK Currys owner DSG International today issued another profits warning after it said increased promotional activity had impacted on trading margins.

Retail stocks rallied the London market today as the FTSE 100 Index recovered from a difficult start to the week.

Fears of a “brain drain” at supermarket giant Tesco were reinforced today after news of the group’s third key executive departure in two weeks.

Updates and results from Curry’s owner DSG International and property website Rightmove will bring the impact of recent interest rate hikes back into focus this week.

Vodafone helped steer a recovery today following a heavy fall for the London market in its previous session.

Currys owner DSG International unveiled a rising star of Tesco’s management team as its new chief executive today.

Supermarket chain Tesco took record sales over the internet in the run-up to Christmas as the consumer spending spree went online.