Inditex seen rising after upbeat sales ease demand concerns
BUZZ-Inditex seen rising after upbeat sales ease demand concerns ** Shares of Zara owner Inditex ITX.MC are seen rising between 2 and 4% at the open after stronger-than-expected currency-adjusted sales growth at the start of the second quarter, helped by calendar effects
** Store and online sales grew 11.5% between May 1 and June 1 of 2026, beating analyst expectations for 8% growth
** JP Morgan says the update is "reassuring", with Q1 and current trading better than expected, and strong gross margin
** The broker expects the shares to gain, particularly given market concerns about European consumer sentiment and a drag from the Middle East seen in recent luxury sector reporting
** Jefferies says the results confirm the apparel company's ability to step up market share gains despite increasingly challenging demand in Europe, flagged by peers
** Inditex shares were down 6.5% year-to-date as of the previous close
(Reportig by Joao Manuel Mauricio)