The post-Christmas reporting season for retailers is just getting underway and Wednesday sees one of the biggest beasts in the retail jungle, Marks & Spencer (M&S), issuing a trading update.

The portents look good, if the figures from fashion retailer Next are anything to go by. Next increased full-year profit forecasts again after enjoying better than expected sales in the run up to Christmas, and said that the cold snap had lured customers into its shops to stock up on scarves, jumpers, gloves and hats - all items that are likely to have sold equally well at Marks & Sparks.

M&S is expected to report like for like sales growth year on year of 1% or slightly higher, with the growth rate figured to be greater in general merchandise than in food products, as the latter is seeing little or no price inflation to boost the figures. That would represent a significant improvement on the third quarter performance when like for like sales fell 7.1%, though it could be a reflection of how fragile the consumer was feeling in December 2008, rather than a return to form by M&S.

Pizza delivery outfit Domino's has repeatedly beaten market expectations of late, but concerns were raised about continued growth when company directors offloaded almost £18m of shares back in November.

In all probability, the sale just signified that the share price had got a bit toppy, rather than any underlying problems at the firm. The trends towards eating in rather than eating out still seems to be in Domino's favour, and although the expansion of US rival Papa John into the UK may be a long term concern, in the short term the marketing clout of Domino's has most likely continued to drive sales higher.

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TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Marks & Spencer, Domino Pizza

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Related shares
Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) share price
Domino's Pizza UK & IRL (DOM) share price