Marks & Spencer Rallies 6% After Upbeat Sales Report

Shares of Marks & Spencer Group PLC jumped 6.1% on Thursday after the U.K. retailer reported solid sales for the fourth quarter that beat forecasts. In the food category, total sales rose 3.7%, while general merchandise improved by 1.3%. Sales from M&S.com jumped 13.8%. "The overall verdict is that the stars have aligned for a single quarter and we await consistent repetition of this feat before we can proclaim a recovery," said Bryan Roberts, director of retail insights at Kantar Retail in a note.