Profit upgrade at Next raises hopes UK shoppers still keen to spend

Sales benefited from warm summer, M&S online shutdown after cyber-attack and supply improvementsNext has raised hopes that UK consumers are still willing to spend despite pressures on household budgets, as it revealed sales and profit growth “materially above” expectations.The clothing and homeware retailer said it benefited from sunny weather over the summer, the online shutdown of the rival Marks & Spencer for several weeks after an Easter cyber-attack and an improvement in clothing supplies from countries such as Bangladesh compared with last year. Continue reading...