Christmas trading update - Wednesday

Domino's Pizza: +22.1% Hamleys: +12.1% Wm Morrison: +7.2% (excl fuel) Dixons: +4.0% JD Wetherspoon: +3.7% Laura Ashley: 0% Iceland: -0.8%

But the trade drop was largely offset by 17.5% growth in takings at the Woodward catering supply business, helping the group-wide sales loss come in at only 0.8%.

Sales at the Booker cash-and-carry arm rose only 0.5% over Christmas.

The weak figures follow a difficult period for Iceland, which has struggled to recover from an ill-received move into organic food.

The company has also suffered the departure of its founder, Malcolm Walker, amid a share dealing probe, only to start another frozen food chain, Cooltrader.

But Iceland's new chief executive Bill Grimsey said that, thanks to higher margins, the firm was still on track to meet profit expectations.

March south

Meanwhile, the UK's fifth largest supermarket chain, Wm Morrison, reported a 5.1% rise in like-for-like sales in the six weeks to last Sunday.

The group praised staff "dedication combined with good judgement and tight management controls", for its growth.

Excluding petrol station takings, depressed by lower pump prices, the growth rate was 7.2%.

Since February last year, total like-for-like sales have risen by 7.3%, the firm added.

The rise follows the adoption of an expansion strategy which has seen the Yorkshire-based chain expand south to take on the likes of Tesco and Sainsbury.

The firm has also rejected loyalty cards, and largely ignored the internet, in favour of developing a "traditional" shopping experience.

Analysts had been expecting a strong performance, and Wm Morrison shares ended 3.5p lower at 196.5p in London on Wednesday.

Iceland stock, which topped 330p in December 2000, ended at 160p, down 10p on the day.