Sofa so good for ScS over Christmas

Furniture retailer ScS Group said it expected to deliver annual profits "significantly ahead" of expectations after strong festive trading.

Like-for-like order intake for the 25 weeks to 16 January 2016 was up 8.8% on the same period a year before, thanks to continued strong trading at its own stores and via House of Fraser.

This was delivered despite the tough comparative performance in the previous year, around the time of the company's re-flotation on the London Stock Exchange.

"Whilst we still have key trading periods over Easter and the two May bank holidays in the current financial year, we are delighted with the performance over the Christmas and January sales period and for the year to date," said chief executive David Knight.

Independent retail analyst Nick Bubb said it "sounds as if the furniture concessions in House of Fraser have also seen strong trading and, given the infamous profit warning issued by ScS on May 7 last year, management will no doubt have been mindful of the easy 'pre-Election' comps coming up in April".

Shares in ScS bounced 21% to 184.5p by 0850 GMT on Tuesday, having fallen from a six-month high of 198p in late November.