Swedish high-street clothing chain H&M reported a 13.6 percent rise in second quarter net profit Wednesday June 18th to 3.93 billion kronor (million dollars, 420 million euros), boosted by favourable exchange rates and strong sales in May.

Department store sales at retailer John Lewis JLP.UL have broken a four-week losing streak, rising 2.1 percent in the week ended June 7 compared with the same time a year ago, it said on Friday. Sales were led by an 8.

The blue-chip index ended almost 2 percent lower on Wednesday after banks and builders took a pummelling on funding concerns, while retailers headed south on negative broker comment. The FTSE 100 .FTSE slumped 104 points, or 1.8 percent to 5,723.

Retailer John Lewis posted its fourth consecutive fall in weekly sales at its department stores, compared with the same period last year, but said sales were up strongly on the previous seven days.

Retailer Sears Holdings Corp reported an unexpected first-quarter loss on Thursday as sales fell at its Kmart and Sears stores and markdowns hurt margins, pushing its shares down more than 3 percent.

By Tim Gaynor SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Reuters Life!) - Arizona realtor Marie Richert raises the pink, palm-sized gadget and takes aim at the silver foil outline of a man set up in the kitchen of her friend's home.

Marks and Spencer's annual profits hit 1 billion pounds but the retailer cut its staff bonus, having failed to meet internal targets, and warned a slowdown in consumer spending could run until autumn 2009.

Hailed as Brazil's first "green president" when he took office, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's environmental credentials appear thinner than ever after the resignation of Amazon defender Marina Silva.

Environmental demonstrators targeted Unilever across Europe on Monday, entering plants and scaling walls, including those of its London headquarters.

Swedish cheap'n chic clothing chain H&M said on Thursday the Japanese founder of the Comme des Garcons fashion house, Rei Kawakubo, would guest design its autumn collection.

The Swedish high-street clothing chain H&M reported a surge in first-quarter profit on Thursday March 25th, saying that an aggressive drive into world markets was paying off.

Platinum prices spiked to an all-time peak close to 2,300 dollars on Tuesday March 4th as the white metal got fresh support on the back of a weak dollar and supply worries in key producer South Africa.

The price of oil touched an all-time peak of 101.32 dollars a barrel in trading on Thursday, lifted by fears of supply disruptions, according to analysts. Oil's surge helped gold to a record high of 948.

Myanmar opened a lucrative auction of gems on Wednesday, November 14th, despite tightening Western sanctions and calls for a boycott from top international jewellers following the junta's deadly crackdown on protests.

Swedish cheap'n chic fashion chain H&M launches Thursday, November 8th its latest designer collection, this time created by Italy's Roberto Cavalli who is known for his sexy, feminine creations.