The online retailer said revenue rose 15.5% year on year to £658m for the quarter ending September 1, while average orders per week rose 14.7% to 437,000

The online retailer, run as a joint venture with Marks & Spencer, had more than 1.06 million customers in the third quarter.

Online grocer and logistics group Ocado has upgraded its revenue guidance for its retail division following a strong third-quarter performance which saw revenues jump as both customer numbers and the number of orders rose.

The group, which is led by chief executive Lord Wolfson, reported a 7.1% jump in underlying pre-tax profits to £452m for the six months to July 27 as total group sales lifted 8%

Darden Restaurants shares surged Thursday after the Olive Garden owner reported improving sales trends after a decline in July and announced a new delivery pilot with Uber.

London open The FTSE 100 is expected to open 67 points higher on Thursday, having closed down 0.68% on Wednesday at 8,253.68.

UK clothing retailer Next once again upgraded annual earnings guidance, with full year profits now expected to hit almost £1bn as recent full price sales “materially exceeded” forecasts.

Darden Restaurants shares surged Thursday after the Olive Garden owner reported improving sales trends after a decline in July and announced a new delivery pilot with Uber.

FTSE 100 retailer now expects pre-tax profits of £995 billion in financial 2025. This is the second upgrade to sales and profits guidance since early August.

Breakfast and snack food giant General Mills reported lower sales and profits compared to the same quarter a year ago, as lower prices and higher costs weighed on the company's margins.