GUS is set to demerge the Argos Retail Group in October

Like-for-like sales at Argos rose 7% in the four months to June as shoppers snapped up new TVs for the World Cup.

GUS's other retail business - the Homebase DIY chain - fared less well, with like-for-like sales down 5%.

However, GUS's Experian financial data business reported a 21% jump in sales. GUS is planning to split its Experian and retail businesses in October.

After the split, the two halves of the GUS group will become separate companies.

Last week, GUS said it had rejected bid approaches for both Experian and the Argos Retail Group (ARG), which includes the Argos and Homebase chains.

Mixed picture

While sales at Argos rose strongly, GUS said that profit margins fell at the business because of promotional offers.

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In contrast, while the weak DIY market continued to hit sales at Homebase, margins rose after the chain cut back on discounting.

The ARG said that it remained "cautious" over the outlook for consumer spending, and expected the DIY market to "remain difficult".

The strong growth in sales at GUS's Experian business - which carries out services such as credit checking - was helped by a number of recent acquisitions.

Stripping out the effect of these acquisitions, organic sales growth was 8%.