'Strong Flu Season' Boost For Nurofen Maker

Consumer goods group Reckitt Benckiser (Xetra: A0M1W6 - news) (RB) has credited a "strong flu season" for higher quarterly sales.

The maker of Nurofen to Durex condoms said it enjoyed growth across all regions with total world sales rising 1% to £2.2bn in its first quarter.

It said sales rose 5% on a like-for-like basis, which excludes the impact of currency, acquisitions, disposals and discontinued operations.

Health sector sales grew 11% worldwide.

The results suggested the consumer sector was moving past some of the troubles it saw in 2014 when a slowdown in emerging markets dented demand for products from soup to soap.

Developing market sales were up 6%, the FTSE 100 company said, adding that it was on track to meet its full-year goals for 4% like-for-like sales growth and "moderate to nice" operating margin expansion.

RB's share price rose 1.3% when trading began on Friday, having previously enjoyed value growth of 21% over the past 12 months.