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stalwart of christmas trading? next has said sales were better than expected during november and december — the crucial period leading up to christmas. it made £38 million more than it expected — and those sales were up 5.7% compared with the same period the year before. the group, which trades from about 460 stores in the uk and ireland and has an online presence in over 70 countries, is often considered a useful gauge of how british consumers are faring. it seems to be faring well despite the cost of living pressures that are squeezing people's pockets. next has updated its forecast for the full financial year — saying it now expects to make a profit before tax of £905 million which would be 4% up on last year. which itself was an improvement on the year before. it is worth noting that it has warned that that situation in the red sea, with the houthi rebels