Marks & Spencer met the top end of analyst expectations today by reporting a £405 million (€605 million) pretax profit in the first half of this year.
Britain's leading clothing retailer said trading for the first five weeks of the third quarter was in line with the first-half rate.
Marks & Spencer said it aimed to increase total group space by as much as 20 per cent over the next five years as it "stretches the brand" into new products and services.