Finnish retailer Kesko on Friday posted an April-to-June pretax profit of about 79 million euros, up from some 38 million in the year-ago period.
Second-quarter sales rose to about 2.28 billion euros from some 2.14 billion.

"The outlook for trends in consumer demand has improved somewhat, especially as a result of higher consumer confidence and continuously low interest rate levels," Kesko said in a statemement.

"Nevertheless, the trend in economic development continues to involve significant uncertainties relating to the evolution of total production, tightening taxation and ramifications of possible disturbances on the financial market."

Keeping its full-year outlook unchanged, Kesko said it saw its net sales and underlying earnings rising from last year's figures.

STT