Department store Selfridges has helped ease fears of a slowdown in consumer spending with news of higher sales and profits.

The company said on Thursday that revenues for the six months to early August came in at �192.7m ($270m), 6.1% up on the same period one year earlier, while pre-tax profits edged 3.9% higher to �15.8m.

It added that current trading was buoyant, with sales for the six weeks to 14 September climbing 9% compared with the same period last year.

Selfridges chairman Alun Cathcart said the store had put in a "strong" performance, and pledged continued growth.

"Selfridges continues to be at the forefront of retail today," he said in a statement.

City investors reacted cautiously, marking Selfridges shares 7p lower to 275.5p at the close.

Retail snapshot

Selfridges' latest sales figures are likely allay fears that consumer spending, which is credited with propping up the economy as manufacturing went into recession last year, is starting to tail off.

Data released over the summer suggested that growth in retail sales may be flattening, while growing economic uncertainty amid rising tensions in the Middle East is expected to take its toll on consumer confidence.

Government retail sales figures for August are due to be released later on Thursday.

Manchester outperforms

Sales at Selfridges' flagship store in London's Oxford Street climbed 5.1% in the six months to August despite a dwindling numbers of free-spending US tourists since last year's 11 September attacks.

And its store in the Trafford Centre store outside Manchester, opened four years ago, posted a bumper 13.2% sales increase.

Mr Cathcart added that Selfridges' new store in Manchester city centre has been "trading well" since it opened its doors two weeks ago.

The company said local authorities had asked it to make some revisions to its plans for a �300m hotel and office complex behind its Oxford Street store, but stressed that it still expects to complete the development by the 2007 target date.