Marks & Spencer investors are preparing themselves for more bad news when the struggling retailer unveils its first-half results on Tuesday.
It is thought that chief executive Stuart Rose might break with tradition and provide analysts with some indication on how the second half is going, suggesting that trade has continued to be weak.
M&S is forecast to make pretax profits of between £285m and £295m in the26 weeks to 2 October, against £325m last year. Analysts have put full-year profit at £705m-£745m.
References: Financial Times 06/11/05 page M4, Daily Telegraph 06/11/05 page 31
