High street behemoth Next has once again raised its profit forecast, showing optimism as the crucial Christmas period approaches and dismissing worries about pressures on consumer finances.

Shares in the company, which operates approximately 900 stores, saw a surge on Wednesday morning following this announcement.

Next, often regarded as a bellwether for the UK high street, anticipates that sales during the festive quarter will significantly exceed previous estimates.

The company predicts full price sales to increase by roughly 7% in the quarter leading up to January, an upgrade from the previously projected 4.5%.

However, this still indicates a minor deceleration compared to the previous quarter, with the retailer also forecasting a slight easing of UK sales growth.

This update c

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