19 September 2012 Last updated at 07:17 ET

Asos enjoys sales boost from US

Internet shopping as outlets such as Asos are growing in popularity

Online fashion retailer Asos says a big increase in demand from US customers helped sales grow 31% in the three months to the end of August.

Overall sales increased to £141m in that period, up from £107.4m, but 65% of the sales increase came from the US.

The company said that sales outside the UK, European Union and the US jumped 53% to £47.4m in the period.

Chief executive Nick Robertson said it would hit full-year profit forecasts.

In the UK, Asos saw sales increase by 15% to £49.8m in the three months to 31 August, maintaining strong performance at home.

Asos has grown while many of its rivals that operate physical stores have struggled amid economic uncertainty.

For the year to 31 August, Asos saw a 91% increase in sales to US customers, totalling £49.5m, while sales outside the UK, the European Union and the US jumped by 94% to £165.2m.

For the year to the end of August, its UK sales totalled £205.2m - a 10% rise on the previous year.

In the same period, Asos said that it had five million active customers, defined as people who have shopped with Asos in the last 12 months - a 35% increase year-on-year.

Jean Roche, an analyst with stockbroking business Panmure Gordon, called the numbers "particularly impressive".

Meanwhile British fashion retailer French Connection has reported a first-half loss before tax of £6.3 million.