LONDON — Europe’s markets were varied in trading early afternoon Thursday. The FTSE 100 in London climbed 0.9 percent to 6,780.95, while the FTSE MIB in Milan was flat at 22,837.20. But the CAC 40 in Paris and the DAX in Frankfurt both eased 0.2 percent to 4,989.62 and 11,781.24, respectively.
Fashion, luxury and retail stocks had a largely positive start.
The highest riser was Asos, which soared 22 percent to 39.91 pounds, as the online retailer said Thursday that its group revenues in the three months to Feb. 28 climbed 20 percent at actual exchange rates to 298.3 million pounds, or $459.4 million.
Asos chief executive officer Nick Robertson pointed to strong growth in the U.K. over the quarter, with sales rising 30 percent there, and “encouraging momentum” in its international markets, with sales up 12 percent. He also said the firm expects its profit before tax for the full year to be “in line with market expectations.”
Fellow online retailer Boohoo.com rose 8.1 percent to 0.29 pounds following the Asos update, while Yoox Group was up 2.4 percent to 21.82 euros.
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The morning’s fallers included Brunello Cucinelli, 3.7 percent to 17.64 euros; Ted Baker, 1.3 percent to 25.18 pounds and Hugo Boss, 2.1 percent to 116.85 euros. The latter fell as Hugo Boss said its consolidated net income rose only 1 percent in 2014, to 334.5 million euros, or $444.6 million.
Mulberry fell 0.4 percent to 8.57 pounds, as the luxury goods firm named Thierry Andretta – currently one of its independent non-executive directors — as chief executive officer.
At 13.00 CET, the pound traded for $1.50, while the euro went for $1.06.
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