Mauritius knitwear firm Ciel Textile says quarterly profit steady

Mauritian clothing maker Ciel Textile said on Monday its pretax profit for the three months to Sept. 30 was broadly flat at 233.13 million rupees ($6.48 million).

The supplier of knitwear to British firms Marks & Spencer and Next and Spain's Inditex said its earnings per share rose to 2.01 rupees from 1.89 rupees a year earlier.

Mauritius is looking to boost its position as a financial and manufacturing centre. The textiles industry is a major employer on the Indian Ocean island, although it is dwarfed by tourism and agriculture.

"The group remains focused on sales initiatives coupled with strategic measures to improve its efficiencies and results," the firm said in a statement, without giving details.

$1 = 35.9500 Mauritius rupees