Better trading at JD Sports

The JD Sports chain has reported better trading in its core sports retail business. Since the Group announced its interim results in October, the performance has benefited from the rationalisation of underperforming stores as well as benefiting from weak comparatives with the previous year.

Excluding the RD Scott business acquired in December, group sales were 4 per cent higher in the eight weeks to January 1, with like-for-like sale up 6 per cent.