McDonald's key sales fall in October, hurt by softness in US and China food-safety scandal

McDonald's Corp. says that a key global sales figure slipped 0.5 percent in October, with weakness in the U.S. and ongoing difficulties from a food-safety scandal in China weighing down its business.

The world's biggest hamburger chain said Monday that the decline in global sales at locations open at least 13 months included a 1 percent drop in the U.S. and a 4.2 percent decline for the unit that includes the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and Africa.

McDonald's APMEA division has been trying to bounce back since the summer, when a TV report in China showed workers at one of its suppliers repackaging meat that was alleged to be expired. The claim has not been publicly confirmed by the supplier or the government.

The Oak Brook, Illinois company said comparable sales for Europe fell 0.7 percent.