PRIMARK, which trades as Penneys in Ireland, saw sales jump 19% in the months leading up to Christmas but Irish sales suffered slightly.

JJB Sports founder David Whelan was today being linked to a £100m (€117m) bid for the ailing sportswear firm’s health club chain.

The owner of fashion brands Kaliko and Ann Harvey today said like-for-like sales were down 11% after trading became “increasingly challenging”.

Debenhams slashed its shareholder payout today as it focused efforts on coping with the consumer downturn and cutting a £1bn (€1.2bn) debt mountain.

The owner of British electrical retailer Comet said the high street chain would slump to a first half loss this year after sales of white goods dived.

Marks & Spencer chief executive Stuart Rose faces the prospect of a humiliating shareholder rebellion at the firm’s annual meeting today.

Talk of a possible bid for Marks & Spencer sent shares in the struggling retailer soaring today after its recent steep falls.

Beleaguered Marks & Spencer was under fresh stock market pressure today amid City fears that the current consumer squeeze could wipe a third or more off profits.

The sales woe at Marks & Spencer sent shudders through some of the FTSE 100 Index’s biggest retail stocks today.

Shares in Comet owner Kesa Electricals were deep in the red today after gloom settled over its future trading prospects.

The owner of retail chain Sports World drew a mixed reaction from the City today, despite revealing it remained on course to hit earnings targets.

UK retail giants endured another torrid day on the stock market today amid concerns over the festive trading performance of some of the high street’s biggest names.

The two takeover attempts for Sainsbury’s this year have overshadowed a healthy trading performance from the group in a more challenging retail environment.

Supermarket giant Tesco is expected to unveil a sharp sales slowdown today as wet weather and belt-tightening consumers take their toll on the company’s results.

Supermarket giant Tesco today underlined its dominance of the UK’s retail landscape after ringing up record profits of £2.55 billion.

The UK's biggest supermarket chain will regain the spotlight this week as Tesco is expected to unveil annual profits of more than £2.5bn (€3.66bn) on Tuesday - more than £4,800 (€7,040) a minute.

A shortened trading week will see Halfords and Mothercare publish updates, while publisher Bloomsbury will look to restore confidence after its profits warning in December.

Marks & Spencer’s admission of interest in a potential bid for Sainsbury’s could press the retailer’s private equity suitors into tabling a firm offer for the company, a leading retail analyst said today.

Catalogue and internet sales came to the rescue of Next today after the fashion chain endured a worse-than-expected time on the high street.

Music store and bookshop owner HMV became the latest retailer to count the cost of the World Cup as it reported plummeting sales today.

Supermarket giant Tesco saw its shares hit a record high today on a report that it wanted to unlock more value from its £12bn (€17bn) property empire.